


The Darkest Fairy

by Silverbulletsdeath



Category: Tinker Bell (Movies)
Genre: Exile, Gen, Insanity, Intoxicants, Isolation, Murderer, Neglect, Obsession, Pirates, Prison, Talk about death, in a library
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-06
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-03-10 17:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 82,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3298391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverbulletsdeath/pseuds/Silverbulletsdeath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vidia uses the shadow in the library to her advantage, but once Tinkerbell finds it she lets it believe that it has hopes, and starts the cogs going for an ending that might mean the end of everything the tinker has known.  After all, there is a reason some things are locked away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Hungry Tear

**Author's Note:**

> Note: For anyone who doesn't want to get lost, I haven’t read the books, only seen the movie, but I do have access to Wikipedia. Which means I know some extra names and things, without knowing what they look like. Also I took some liberties on characters that didn’t have very well established or flaky personalities. (Goes to sulk in a corner). An example of some things I stole from Wikipedia, Queen Ree is Queen Clarion. 
> 
> Warnings: I have not read the books, but I have access to Wikipedia – so I have names such as Ginger but only a quick explanation of her character and talent. I saw the first movie – that’s what has happened and it’s AU after that. Adventure-talent is an actually an established talent-kin and will be used as such. I take liberties with the fairies pasts and incorporate my own version of Pixie Hollow within the rules of Never Land. A little bit of violence. Made-up fairy swears. Reused plot devices that work their way in there before I realized I had done it. Questionable morals. An abundance of Vidia, and me writing the wrong story. Expansions on talents that don’t exist. Vidia has actually been a hero in the past. My ever present and ‘famous’ use of my own original characters.
> 
> Disclaimer: Not mine. Belongs to Disney and – well, I’m actually not entirely sure who wrote the actual series it’s based off.

 

 

Vidia kicked at her bed as hard as her small feet would allow and recoiled in an instant with an angry howl.

 

“That was stupid,” came a soft muttered voice.  Dark blue hair obscured Vidia’s vision as the fast flying fairy spun around and looked into big brown eyes.  The fairy in Vidia’s house wasn’t much to look at.  She had a huge leaf clumsily assembled to cover everything, her brown hair a puffy mess, and Vidia was quick to notice that the other’s dark arms looked scarily stickish and her face sunken in.

 

“They aren’t feeding you again,” Vidia irritably.  The fast flying fairy limped over to the cupboard and started searching through it and grimaced over the fact that most of her cooking supplies were made by those annoying tinker fairies. 

 

“That’s alright,” whispered the fairy.  Vidia looked back to see her friend with a guilty blush and looking pointedly away from her.

 

“No one blames you for getting supplies when you can,” said Vidia and then turned back to finding the proper cooking tools needed to make a pie. “Well, at least I don’t.”

 

“Thank you, Vidia,” said the soft voice. “I really didn’t mean to steal, but those berries…”

 

“Scrumptious, weren’t they?” said Vidia with a glance over her shoulder, the other fairy gave her a hesitant smile. “Come on over dear.  I’ll teach you how to make my blue berry pie.  That way you’ll be able to make it yourself when those morons remember to feed you.”

 

“You make me sound like their pet,” said the fairy stepping weightlessly to Vidia’s side and running a hand over the table top.

 

“Well, you’re technically not allowed out of that tinker box,” said Vidia, as she lightly brushed her hands off and guided her friends toward the batter. “Which reminds me, why are you here?”

 

“Can’t I just stop by to see a friend?” asked the fairy with a smile. Vidia frowned and then sighed.  The fast flying fairy dragged the taller fairy over to wash the darker fairy's hands in the sink.

 

“No, because you take that silly prison seriously,” said Vidia with a frown. “The last time you came it was because there was something wrong with the ground…”

 

“Vidia,” complained the girl.

 

“Teary,” said Vidia with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t really care what it was, they fixed it and the last five things that you somehow figured out were wrong and came to me with.”

 

Vidio glanced over the tall fairy and saw Teary pounding at the dough despairingly.  Vidia groaned and laced her fingers with her friend’s and started digging into the bread to teach the dark fairy how to knead properly. 

 

“Is something wrong Vidia?” asked Teary looking at her friend in concern.  Vidia sighed, being irritated at Teary would only depress the girl.  The other fairy really was a good friend. Teary just had a lot that she was trying to make right.  Of course Vidia still thought that the other’s blind belief in the Queen and allowing herself be tied to one room was stupid.  Teary couldn’t do much good where she was now. Still, her imprisonment meant that Teary couldn't go to other fairies with her findings, which meant ever since Teary had first come to Vidia with her findings, Vidia had been in good standing with the whole of Pixie Hollow. 

 

Well, at least until recently she had been in good standing. 

 

“Nothing you have to worry about,” said Vidia, she cut into the berry in a way that made Teary’s eyes go wide and the girl take a deliberate step away from the fast flying fairy. “I’m just having a gosh hard time finding that last sprinting thistle.”

 

“Ah, yes,” now Teary sounded amused. “The punishment that was assigned to you by Queen Ree.”

 

“You’ve heard of it?” asked Vidia.

 

“One of my jobs is to keep track of all important events… don’t look at me like that Vidia you know what happened was a ground breaking in Pixie Hollow,” said Teary pushing the dough at her friend, as Vidia placed the berry concoction near Teary and signaled the dark fairy to start stirring as she formed the crust. “So the Queen sent a few people my way to interview, and I’ve got a pretty good idea of what happened.  At the moment I’m trying to convince them to send Tinkerbell my way.”

 

Vidia hissed at the other fairy.  Teary turned to _her_ in slight confusion and then giggled.

 

“She was in the middle of it all,” the fairy reminded with a flourish of her finger. “But you could always give me your version of what happened.  Make sure that I get all the facts.”

 

“Tinkerbell is a twit,” said Vidia firmly pouring the mixture into the crust and placing the top carefully over the berries and beginning to pinch the sides.

 

“Yes, that sounds like a logical conclusion.” Vidia sneered at the amused fairy who rolled her eyes and walked back to the table.  Vidia popped the pie in the oven and headed to her table with bread, some cheese, and a knife. “It is interesting though, I never knew you could be so vindictive.  It’s not like she was trying to beat your speed or anything.”

 

“Yes she was, that brat came up to me, _me_ , and asked me to teach my talent to her so she could be flying as fast as me in a few days, the little scamp,” seethed Vidia.  Teary rolled her eyes and dragged the cutting board toward her and cut herself a generous amount of bread and cheese and started to inhale it. “Slow down dear, your stomach’s probably shrunk and at that pace you’re going to end up throwing up.”

 

Teary blushed to her roots and then slowly chewed and swallowed.

 

“You know, little miss lost things never would have been able to do it. She’s a tinker, no changing that.  She’s a special tinker for sure, but not one that’s suddenly going to be able to zip around all of Pixie Hollow in a flash.” Teary took a bite and put a hand against her cheek. “This obsession you have about being the fastest fairy ever is a little over redundant.”

 

“I’m not supposed to proud of my ability?” asked Vidia with a flick of her hair.  She pulled back the bread and cheese and took a much smaller slice of each for herself.

 

“You’re allowed to, but this obsession with pushing yourself past exhaustion trying to become the fastest is a little over the top,” said Teary, and glanced around Vidia’s home. “This place has horrible lighting.”

 

“Probably better than your book collection… what are you doing?” Teary drew back into the window and with a few flicks of her fingers had light bending unnaturally into the room.  Vidia rolled her eyes but let it stand, she had a feeling that these visits were the only time Teary dared practice her talents.

 

“Much better,” Teary took another chunk of cheese. “And it’s called a library.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Where I work it’s called a library,” said Teary nibbling at her food. 

 

“You changed the name of it into… library. The Book Collection made more sense,” said Vidia dryly.  Teary shrugged and continued to nibble at the cheese her gaze never leaving it.

 

“I read it in a book,” said Teary and put the cheese down with a sad sigh. “They’ve been doing more exploration near the shore since lost stuff became such a huge success among the tinkers.  They found this really big human book.  They talked about a big building filled with books and called it a library.  So I’m guessing that’s its proper name.  Feels nice to be working at something that has that kind of distinction.”

 

Teary looked happy at the thought, and Vidia couldn’t wrap her mind around it.  What fairy would happily live inside some stuffy room with only leaves covered in silly designs that made some sort of odd language far away from where she could practice her talents? 

 

“Teary, no offense, but I’d rather my home didn’t become overgrown with plants,” said Vidia noticing the grass had started to navigate from outside the window along the inside walls.  Teary cocked her head in confusion and looked at the window behind her and blushed.

 

“Go back outside,” she whispered with a wave of her hand and the tendrils pulled back almost dejectedly.  Teary sighed and shook her head.

 

“I don’t understand -- you have such talent.  Why do you listen to her anyway?  I mean, you’re sorry, she could at least give you a chance to redeem yourself,” said Vidia bitterly.  Teary smiled back at the fast flying fairy with a smile that said at least at one point in time she had also believed that, but in the hopes of staying in Pixie Hallow had remained.

 

“If I did anything that brought suspicion on me I’d be thrown out of Pixie Hallow for good or locked deep in the ground, and I don’t think I could stand that.  I mean, in the first scenario I’d be cut off from fairies and have to spend my days around the Lost Boys or Pirates,” said Teary with a shudder.

 

“It wouldn’t be that bad, at least you’d be out and about; you could even slip out during the night.  You’re dark enough to blend into the shadows if you fix up some proper clothes,” said Vidia.  The Fast Flying Fairy scowled for a second before standing to put the kettle on.  Her nerves could stand some relaxation and between that infuriating wretch of a tinker-fairy Tinkerbell and Teary’s own self-degrading beliefs of right and wrong, Vidia felt that she at least deserved some chamomile.  A lot of it.   So much that she would sleep until next spring. “And you could always go and hang out with the mermaids.”

 

Teary looked up from her food dryly.

 

“Do you know what mermaids are like?  I know there’s some silly rumor going around that they’re just as shallow as air talents.” Vidia glared at her and Teary just smiled back. “But they’re one of the creepiest things you’ll find in Never Land.  If I went to them, they’d more likely to eat me than talk to me.”

 

Teary cringed at the idea, as Vidia returned to the table with a huff.

 

“Plus, once they found me I’d be brought back here,” said Teary and then shivered. “You can’t kill a fairy, not without – refusing its existence, and that’s a way to kill a fairy, not necessarily the one you want gone.  No, but you can hurt one badly enough. And it's amazing what you can live through, amazing how deep a sleep one can fall into.” Teary laughed nervously. “And then they’d drag me into the dark and seal my room with rocks, and I’d no longer see the light of the sun or stars.  I couldn’t hear the chirping of the birds or the rustle of wind across the grass. Not even the flutter of fairy wings outside.”

 

“But you’re powerful, couldn’t you fend them off?” asked Vidia.  Teary’s hands clenched.

 

“Even someone weaker can overpower the strong with support,” said Teary softly and picked up her cheese and started ripping it into shreds. 

 

“I guess.  So, um, why are you here?” asked Vidia shifting in her seat with uncomfortable grace.

 

“Right, well, I’ve been getting reports of all the lost things, you know trying to keep stock of everything found and keep records of how it was used and maybe even find out what the thing is called from the few mainland jargone they’ve picked up and books brought here,” said Teary seriously. “Some of the stuff that’s been washing ashore has been… troubling.  We may be encountering something that we haven’t in the last decades.”

 

“And that would be…?” prompted Vidia and then glared when Teary bit her lip and looked hesitant to go on. “Teary!”

 

“It’s showing that we might be visited by pirates soon,” she whispered looking away.

 

“Not possible.  The Lost Boys and the Indians keep them away.  Plus, we’re no interest to them, nothing worth plundering,” insisted Vidia, though she looked a little tense.

 

“Not our pirates.  Ones from the Mainland that could wash up here after getting lost.  It’s been a long time, but some of the older documents indicate it’s happened before, and that it wasn’t pretty when it did happen,” said Teary and Vidia bit her lip as the other fairy looked down at her lap.

 

“You need to go to someone else about this,” said Vidia firmly and Teary looked up at her in hurt shock, ready to argue, but Vidia held up a hand. “Listen, I know in the past I’ve been the best person to go to, but I’m out of favor now with this whole Tinkerbell thing.”

 

“But you’re always listened to about this sort of thing in the past,” pressed Teary. “This shouldn’t be any different.”

 

“But it is, they might not take me as seriously, they might think I’m just trying to steal back the spotlight or something,” pressed Vidia and sighed at her friends very wide eyes. “Can’t you go to your sis-”

 

“No!” shouted Teary standing; the air picked up around her and Vidia jumped a little at the sound of a sharp caw from somewhere near. “Of all people I can’t speak to her, you-”

 

“Teary please,” said Vidia with a straggled voice and flinched as the light in the window seemed to intensify. 

 

Teary’s eyes suddenly widened in recognition and then softened in fear as she collapsed back into her chair and put her head in her hands.

 

“Teary?” asked Vidia, standing and walking over to the trembling fairy.

 

“I’m sorry,” the pathetic thing whispered, and Vidia was reminded of what had drawn her to the girl she had found passed out in her room, hungry, and muttering about a dam being built and water becoming scarce.  Teary was an unfettered power.  Something raw and untrained and troubled.  The dark fairy wasn’t supposed to be out of her library, she was dangerous and if the stories about her were at least half true she was something that could cause destruction and wield power that rivaled their fair Queen’s. 

 

“It’s alright,” soothed Vidia.  She also knew that Teary was just a lonely fairy who was more scared of herself and her own power than all the fairies in Pixie Hollow combined.  It was something that broke her heart and made her continue to fret at the long intervals it took for the other to creep out of her prison and into her small house.

 

“You’ll try then?” asked Teary looking up at her with wet eyes.  Vidia rolled her eyes.

 

“Oh, very well, then, I’ll try to seem interested in lost things and then point out that a lot of it looks like pirate junk to the Queen,” said Vidia with a huff, but it was worth Teary’s smile.

 

“Thank you Vidia,” said Teary and then looked outside. “Oh dear, the sun’s setting.  I should be heading back; they might try to check on me.”

 

“Yeah, and often much does that happen exactly?  You think that they would notice? You’re too skinny,” said Vidia lifting a skinny dark wrist. “My pie.” 

 

Vidia zipped and opened the oven and sighed at the sight of a nicely browned crust.

 

“Perfect.”

 

“I really have to go,” said Teary looking at the window and bouncing on her toes.  Vidia huffed and glared at the fairy until she sat back down.

 

“You will be a gracious guest and at least wait until I put the pie in basket before you go,” said Vidia turning back and taking out pie and then looking around for a basket. 

 

“But it’s your pie,” said Teary softly.

 

“You helped me make and need it more than I do,” said Vidia smartly and placed the pie in her basket and covered it with a cloth to help keep the warmth in.  She fluttered to the ice box and started looking though it all.

 

“Thank you Vidia, it would be nice to know I have something stored up,” said Teary with a slight smile.

 

“Then it’s decided, and don’t forget this.  You have a place to keep this chilled right?” asked Vidia putting a tall bottle next to the basket.

 

“What is it?” asked Teary lifting the bottle. “And I have an icebox and the place nearest the dust is hot enough to warm up the pie.  Thank you Vidia, you don’t know what this means to me.”

 

“I can guess,” said Vidia and bit her lip. “Listen, this is ridiculous, you always come to me looking like you haven’t eaten in a month.  I’ll come back next Friday with something else, and a recipe, you’re good at cooking, right?  You just get the basics confused at times.”

 

“That’s not necessary Vidia,” said Teary taking the basket and bottle. “So, what is it?”

 

“Dandelion milk,” said Vidia. “Great with pie when chilled.”

 

“Sounds great,” said Teary starting toward the window.  She never left by the door.  It had become a tradition. “This is more than I need Vidia. I’m really fine, and they must be under stress, Queen Clarion is checking-in in a week, and they usually make it a point to feed me then.  She can get pretty angry if she thinks I’m not being taken care of.”

 

“No, I’m your friend; I should be coming to see you anyway.  It’s not like your prison isn’t open for anyone to visit, I have no excuse for never visiting,” said Vidia with a shake of her head and a drum of her nails.

 

“I don’t want you to tarnish your reputation,” said Teary heading leaning on the window.  Vidia went forward to say a proper goodbye this time.

 

“I’ve already done a good job of doing that myself, and I’ll try to be discrete,” because, if push came to shove, Vidia really didn’t want to end up like Teary.  To be locked away in a room full of books about the outside world while only a trickle of it made its way through the windows and cracks.   She loved flying too much to give that up and she still wanted to be the fastest.  But she did have some sort of bound and obligation to Teary that she actually found herself looking forward to instead of dreading.  Usual she spent all day everyday perfecting her talent and pushing herself to fly faster.  The only other fairies she talked to was the ones that she picked on and they didn’t make good company. 

 

“You’re a good friend Vidia, thank you,” Teary flew out the window into the starry night and looked back at Vidia. “You’re my best friend, take care and don’t feel obligated to come next Friday.”

 

“I won’t,” promised Vidia leaning out of the window. “But I’ll come anyway.  You’re my best friend too.”

 

“I hope you’re lying,” said Teary with a sad smile and pecked Vidia on the cheek before melting into the night’s shade.  Vidia touched her cheek and sighed.  She supposed she knew what Teary meant.  Over the last few years she really hadn’t seen the other fairy much, so little that in most cases they would probably be considered acquaintances, especially since Vidia made no effort to see the other girl.  But Vidia knew she hadn’t been lying and had only left out one detail of why Teary was her best friend – Teary was her only friend.

 

\--

 

A dark shadow carefully scanned the area before easing up a creaking latch and slipped into the ground with hardly a whisper of the air.  Teary brushed herself off as she unfurled from her landing among the dim shelving of books long past their prime and old documents kept as a reminder but hadn’t been opened in decades.  She walked with practice ease among them humming under her breath and not perturbed that she couldn’t see an inch in front of her nose. 

 

She jumped up the steps and easily flitted through into the main part of the library, somehow three large tombs had found themselves in her arms.  She glanced around but there was no one in sight.  Teary found herself a little annoyed at the lack of discipline her guards seemed to have.  It was true that she was old news and supposedly out of commission, but that shouldn’t let them drop their guard.  A few of them were fairies that had been there to see her at her glory, one would think with a reminder with that they actually treat her like the threat she was.

 

Sighing, Teary dropped her books on the second largest table, since the first already had paper scattered across it.  She huffed.  She really did want Tinkerbell’s account of what had happened, if only to get someone in here who didn’t know her past, who wouldn’t tiptoe around her and watch her suspiciously as she wrote in feather everything from their perspective down.  She’d give anything to get the sight of Fairy Mary’s account out permanently.  Her shifty eyes and nervous twitching had been the worse blows to the old fairy that Teary could remember after being locked away.

 

Teary fluttered up to her loft and took out the dandelion milk and put it in her ice box and then placed her pie on a little outcrop.  She was too tired to get anything done that night.  In the morning she’d start going through the old tombs and try to translate them before the afternoon when she’d try and start writing up the account of that precious time between winter and spring and a young special fairy who seemed more connected with human’s than any fairy she’d heard of. 

 

The dark fairy wished she could have been there to see Tinkerbell grow, to help her take her first flight when she was born.  Instead Teary was imprisoned in the library where she only got to hear whispers of the outside world and immerse herself in the past.  Yet she also couldn’t help but be glad of where she had ultimately ended up.

 

She could still feel it.  That thread of power that twined itself in her soul and connected her to the whole of Pixie Hollow, to every living breathing thing and beyond.  Vidia didn’t understand how intoxicating that power was, how she wanted to use it even now that she was ‘reformed.’ She was glad it was back.  A fairy stripped of her talent was less than empty, but the temptation to act as she once had, to make Ree see sense. The temptation was something that hovered like honey just in front of her and all she had to do was reach out…

 

That is why she had to stay in the library, surrounded by books and at least under a weak pretence of being imprisoned, because it reined in her power and let her keep a steady grip on its need and temptation.  With a start she quickly flew to the side table, lifted the leaf and retrieved her ruby necklace.  She couldn’t forget that, it’s what kept her above ground, kept Ree happy believing she was still harmless.  It let Teardrop at least get a taste of the outside and see the stars and the little of Pixie Hollow she could throw her small windows. 

 

Teary stripped off her leaf and curled into her hammock and looked up at the stars.  She might as well enjoy it while she could, and perhaps she could even look forward to someone coming and talking to her once a week.  It had been so long since she had proper company, and Vidia was good at keeping her word no matter how selfish she acted.

 

The fairy closed her eyes and wished for dreams about before.  When fairies still talked to her and Ree would play with her in the light and open air.  Before she was locked away in this place and before Ree became the queen and blamed her for the others death, though technically that had not been her fault.  She just continued to look out her small window toward the two stars and wish while she fell asleep to the rustling of her books flapping from one spot in the room to the other in the empty library. 

 


	2. Recording History

Tinkerbell happily rearranged, screwed, twisted, pushed, and created as she worked on one of her many inventions for bringing about summer.  Everyone was interested in Mainland things now.  It was the biggest hit since the first tinker fairy.  Tinkerbell smiled at the thought.  Things had been going well.  She had spent all spring in the Mainland, just going from house to house and fixing this and that up in the human’s homes.  Now she back and busy as ever, leaving her friends to finish up the preparation needed to hail in the summer fairies as she helped with the last emergencies that had come up.

 

She had to say, life was treating her great at the moment.  The tinker had a lot of friends and fairies who she was close with.  She hadn’t seen Vidia all spring, apparently the fast flying fairy was having trouble finding the last of the sprinting thistle, a thought that made Tinkerbell smirk approvingly.  It served that self-centered fairy right.

 

The tinker fairy quickly finished up the final screws and bolts and beamed happily at her invention.  Now to check if it…

 

“Ow!” said Tinkerbell rubbing her head.  She looked up to see Fairy Mary in a similar state. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I was in such a rush to get to this to the summer fairies I didn’t see you coming.”

 

“Ah, Tinkerbell, just the fairy I was hoping to see,” said Fairy Mary and then looked a little hesitant. She brightened when she apparently saw her victims over Tinkerbell’s shoulder. “Ah yes, Bobble, Clank take this to the summer fairies. Tink told you how to use it?”

 

“Um, yeah sure,” said Bobble taking the contraption.

 

“But-” Tinkerbell watched helplessly as they flew away. “Am I in trouble?”

 

“What?” Fairy Mary looked outrageously shocked. “No, no you’ve been great; you haven’t had enough time back to get into trouble yet.” Fairy Mary laughed without humor, and Tinkerbell found her curiosity peeking and her skin crawling. “I need to ask a favor of you.”

 

“Anything Fairy Mary,” said Tinkerbell and worried a little when the teaching fairy winced.

 

“I need you tell your version of what happened this spring to the book fairy,” said Fairy Mary solemnly.

 

“Book fairy?” asked Tinkerbell.  Fairy Mary nodded, clasped her hand, and started flying Tinkerbell in the direction of the Home Tree.

 

“Yes, she keeps track of all the important information and scrolls in Pixie Hollow.  She’s compiling the facts of what happened when spring almost didn’t happen.  She’s already got the Queen’s and several other fairies account of what happened, but also raised some valid points about interviewing you about the incident,” said Fairy Mary.

 

“Well, that would make sense, it was my blundering that started the whole mess, and if it really helps I wouldn’t mind doing an interview with her,” said Tinkerbell, stopping abruptly as Fairy Mary turned to her and started fussing over Tinkerbell’s clothes and hair.  The tinker found herself a little shocked when she realized that they were at the base of the Home Tree.

 

“Thank you dear, this means a lot.” Fairy Mary turned toward a dark door and shook her head in resignation.  Tinkerbell wondered what was so wrong about it. “There are just a few things about Teardrop you need to know.  She’s a little on the strict side and can say things she doesn’t really mean.  She only knows what other fairies have told her and not a lot of fairies go into her… library.  If you ever feel threatened just yell and someone will get you out immediately.  Don’t worry about the threats; she hasn’t followed through on one yet.”

 

And with that ominous advice Tinkerbell was pushed into Teardrop’s library. 

 

Tinkerbell looked cautiously around, it didn’t seem that bad.  It was a little dark, and shelves lined with some sort of dark rectangles that that jostled against each other.  But the sun did come in and flooded enough light in to see by and only played odd dark shadows here and there.  Plus, whatever it was that lined the shelves seemed to be alive if not squished altogether.  Watching them she saw that their outsides were hard lined, usually a thick brown and they could fly by opening themselves up and fluttering forward showing their white-layered insides.

 

“Teardrop?” called out Tinkerbell softly, looking around for any sign of the mysterious fairy.

 

“Teary,” snapped a sharp voice.  Tinkerbell jumped and looked up abruptly.  Where had that voice come from?  She knew it was somewhere above her.  Tinkerbell walked backward, eyes scanning everywhere and was about to call out again when she noticed the leaf.  It was folded oddly, and there appeared to be some sort of rope keeping it in a quickly formed bundle… and on top of it was a big puff of chestnut brown that maybe could be hair.  The figure turned, and Tinkerbell saw a flash of light catching the whites of what could be eyes, before Teardrop (or was this Teary?) turned back to whatever she was doing.  Tinkerbell frowned and looked closely to see black come from the leaf; no, not black, a very dark brown; and that same brown was resting against a… well, the thing was two sticks heading up with little sticks holding it together at even intervals. 

 

“Oh, this is ridiculous, I don’t care what you think is relevant all of you go back to your proper places now!” and the fairy beat her small fist against the shelves and immediately some of the rectangles flew their way in various directions to squeeze in neatly on other shelves. “Good for nuthin’ books.”

 

Quick as light the fairy skimmed down the sticks and landed in front of Tinkerbell.  The tinker fairy caught a look at tattered blue wings before the dark thing had turned and was looking down her nose at Tinkerbell.

 

“Um, right, I’m looking for Teardrop. I was told she was here,” said Tinkerbell her voice steadily getting softer as the other fairy looked disdainfully down at her.

 

“What do you need her for?” snapped the fairy crossing her arms and sniffing. “And what is your talent, leaf?  If this is about using leaves to take notes like the old days I would like to point out that none of you can read and leaves deteriorate a lot faster than paper.”

 

“Um, no, I’m a tinker,” said Tinkerbell shifting a little as the fairy frowned harder at her.

 

“Your dress is a bit short…” the other’s eyes grew wide and her head snapped to look Tinkerbell in the eyes. “You wouldn’t be Tinkerbell would you?”

 

“Yes, um, I’m here to see Teardrop,” said Tinkerbell with a quick smile.

 

“Fairy Mary actually got you to come,” the book fairy looked completely enchanted by the thought.  But the expression was wiped away quickly to be replaced with a sort of cold professionalism. “I’ve been hoping you’d come. Follow me, we’ll do the interview at the table already swamped with papers.”

 

“I thought I was supposed to see Teardrop,” said Tinkerbell in confusion.  The fairy cast a searching gaze back at the tinker still keeping up her brisk pace. 

 

“I am Teardrop,” said the fairy and walked around a large hard wood table and sat down in the middle of two very large stacks of folders; which she immediately started riffling through and tossing in random directions as if she had some sort of system. 

 

“I thought your name was Teary,” said Tinkerbell sitting opposite of the other and casting a worried look around the rest of the building.

 

“No, that’s the nickname my sister gave me,” said Teardrop shuffling now blank pieces of paper in front of her.

 

“Sister, what’s a sister?” asked Tinkerbell, hoping to start some sort of normal conversation.

 

“Don’t you have any close female friends in your own talent-kin?” asked Teardrop without missing a beat and sounding slightly condescending.  Tinkerbell actually had to think on that.

 

“No, I guess I’m not really best friends with any girl in my talent. I mean, I’m friends with Bobble and Clank, but all my close girl friends are of other talents,” said Tinkerbell with a giggle.

 

“Typical,” deadpanned Teardrop with a rather snootily bored sigh as she returned to moving things around, presumably to start the interview.

 

“So, um, you must be close to one of the book fairies that work here.  Where are they?  I don’t see any around,” Tinkerbell jumped when something snapped.  She looked back at Teardrop who was staring at a sharpened and now broken twig in her hand.  Teardrop placed it on the table and magically made a feather appear in her hands that she then dipped it in a porcelain well where the tip of the feather came out black. 

 

“There is no such thing as a book fairy,” said Teardrop professionally.

 

“But, I thought that was your talent,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“It’s not,” said the library fairy crisply. “Now, if we could get on with the interview I have a lot to do before this can be properly filled and stacked.  Which does include writing a virtual book on the subject, so if you could start…”

 

“Um, where do I start?” asked Tinkerbell uncomfortably, realizing that making friends wasn’t something on this fairy’s mind.

 

“Anywhere you think is relevant to the beginning of this whole ordeal,” said Teardrop and then rolled her eyes when Tinkerbell continued to look lost. “I’d suggest your birth; that seems to be the best place to start taking into account where everyone else started.” Teardrop pointed her feather at the closest stack to her right. “It would be best if you left nothing out.  I’ll be going back later and deciding what to put that’s relevant and needed and I would rather get rid of useless information than not have something important.”

 

So after a minute of Tinkerbell staring at Teardrops bent head she just started talking, dragging to mind everything she could from the moment she was born until she gave the music box back to the little girl it belonged to.  She included everything she had seen, as much conversation as she could remember, and even her feelings through the whole thing.  It was extremely liberating to say this out loud.  A little awkward because she was talking to Teardrop’s bent head and furious hands, but in a way that just made it easier to say everything and because of that was more honest about the events then she would be otherwise.

 

Tinkerbell also got bored during her monologue and started riffling through some folders because she was at heart a tinker fairy and couldn’t sit still for that long without having something to fiddle with in her hands.  It was actually the dark squiggles on the paper that caught her attention.  They seemed so random, didn’t appear to make any sort of picture, and Tinkerbell got the impression that these same designs were being made by Teardrop to write down what she was saying.

 

So, she tried to look for some sort of connecter.  It didn’t make sense, she thought, dedicating herself to the squiggles as her story ended but Teardrop continued to be buried in her writing.  She noticed that a lot of the squiggles looked the same and that there were odd spaces and dots and curves.  She started thinking about them as a puzzle, and somehow she found a pattern.  Not so that every individual set of squiggles told a story, but a single word and every word from the taller squiggles to the same dot was an idea.

 

“‘Queen Clarion apparently decided that in all her pompous high class glory would truly act like the perfect b-’” Tinkerbell’s face was red looking up at Teardrop who looked suitably unimpressed by Tinkerbell’s antics and had ripped the book from the tinkers fingers.  A second later, some sort of strange emotion passed over them that told Tinkerbell the other was a fairy with feelings like her and not just some untouchable icicle. 

 

“You can read this?” Teardrop sounded amazed.

 

“Um, yeah, it was sort of like a jigsaw puzzle,” said Tinkerbell pushing over Teardrops wide eyes.

 

“Well, you are good with Mainland things,” said Teardrop reverently.

 

“The squiggles are Mainland things?” said Tinkerbell grabbing another sheet of paper, only to have it ripped out of her hands a second later.  

 

“Well, the language of the writing – the shape and such – is Mainland,” said Teardrop and then shrugged. “That’s why fairies don’t know it intrinsically.  They might start to, if it became important, but at the moment it’s just something for me to keep busy.”

 

“I understand it,” said Tinkerbell and Teardrop flashed her a quick smile before pulling all the files away from her. “So, do they only help record the past?”

 

“A good amount of them do,” said Teardrop distractedly. “But there are other sorts.  Some just tell a story, perhaps something that already happened.  Some are collections of information about Never Land, Pixie Hollow, and the Mainland, anything you’d want to know about them and usually rather scatted, though the information that seems relevant I try to keep together.  There’s things about the talents…”

 

“There are recordings of talents?” asked Tinkerbell. “Am I in there?”

 

Teardrop looked rather unimpressed with the question until Tinkerbell turned a bright red.  The other fairy was writing an entire history of what happened that spring and that basically revolved around her.

 

“Yes,” said the librarian after a long pause. “There are books of that nature.  Every time a new fairy is born her or his name is added to the talent book at the end of their talent's section.  The various talent sections can be found in certain parts of the library.  There’s water and animal talent fairy’s books down that way.  Two more talent fairy sections down that way, two more up, and so on.  Depending on what talent you are looking for.  At the end of the section is a big book kept bright with magic that writes down every new fairy of their talent, magically adding a page as one fills up, and names turn dark when fairies – are gone.”

 

Tinkerbell looked in confusion at Teardrop’s solemn face. 

 

“But that’s not the only sort of books we have.  We have general talent books that give an interdictory about a certain talent.  There are books about important talent fairies and their accomplishments…”

 

“Will my story be put in the Tinker section?” asked Tinkerbell excitedly.  Teardrop stared at her with that flat condescending expression that told the tinker she was not alright with being interrupted and made the young fairy look away guiltily under its power.

 

“That was one of the sections that I’ve been thinking of putting it in,” said Teardrop finally. “The sections on talents also have the ways of doing things.  Like painting a leaf, coddling a baby animal, or how to tinker together certain crafts.”

 

“No way, so they have how to make every gadget, ever?” said Tinkerbell flying right in Teardrop’s face.  The other fairy leaned back, her eyes wide, and Tinkerbell blushed and sat back down letting the fairy catch her breath since the invasion of space seemed to have thrown her off balance and she even looked like she was shaking a little.

 

“Yes, that is the idea.  I’m still compiling stuff on all the new inventions that you came up with.  I have all those useful pictures, but an explanation can sometimes lead to better ideas more than pictures can.  It can also clear up any questions,” said Teardrop, shuffling her notes together and not looking at Tinkerbell. “But there are books there I wish some fairies would look at.  Progress is good and all, but it can sometimes be helped with the past, especially the forgotten past, and I have a lot of books about gizmo’s that just aren’t used anymore.”

 

“Really?  Oh, I wish I could see them,” said Tinkerbell wistfully and sent a hopeful look at Teardrop, who was giving her that deadpan look again that had all of Tinkerbell’s hope carefully crushed into a million small pieces. 

 

“This is a library,” said Teardrop slowly, as if that would re-spark some of the other’s fairies brain cells.

 

“Right, and that makes this some place that books are kept to make sure there are still copies, and no one but you is allowed to touch them,” said Tinkerbell with a depressed huff.  She looked up to see Teardrop giving her one of those affronted and slightly insulted looks again.

 

“Fairies,” the older fairy finally muttered. “No, when I say this is a library I mean that it’s open to every fairy in Pixie Hollow.  There are rules, certainly, but anyone can come read if they possess the capacity and the knowledge.  Though I do have a few picture books scattered around.”

 

“So, I can read them?” asked Tinkerbell, she wanted to know everything about tinkering.  Somehow she could read, and even if she was good at tinkering and loved doing it, the Mainland would always have a special place in her heart.  Plus, with all that information she could tinker even more.  Maybe find some ways to make making snowflakes just a little easier.

 

“Yes, you want to?” asked Teardrop, sounding surprised.  Tinkerbell nodded enthusiastically, confusing Teardrop until the fairy caught her second wind. “Very well then, but we have to lay some ground rules down first.” And she was right back to business. “First, you read here, you don’t tinker.  You read at one of the tables and don’t place the books around you on the floor.  Two, you do not rip the book to take out a page you want or write notes on the side.  You get paper from me and get a tutorial on this ink if you want to take notes.  You do not take the books out of the library, you read them here.  You read quietly, if you bring friends here they read silently also, and if you need to collaborate together you find a corner and whisper in it.  You do not ask me questions about something you can find easily in a book and you do not try to socialize with me.  I am here to help direct you to the right section if you get lost.  I am not your teacher.  Is that clear?”

 

“Yes,” squeaked Tinkerbell, every nerve in her body tensing.  The two fairies stood looking at each other until Teardrop sighed in exasperation and rolled her eyes.

 

“The tinker section is down that way.  There should be a table near the wall,” said Teardrop pointing to the long row of books behind her and to the light. “The bottom shelf is all the inventions.  Second shelf is its history, and the third and fourth shelf holds the rest of the genre’s.  I trust you can find what you want, the titles in each section are categorized by the author’s name, though that shouldn’t be too confusing since you don’t know any of them yet.  I’ll be up here, working, if you have any questions”

 

“Right, thank…” but Teardrop had already returned to her work and obviously tuned Tinkerbell out.  Not to be put out, Tinkerbell flew to the section Teardrop had pointed to and started skimming the titles of the books.

 

Tinkerbell quickly lost track of the time.  She had taken three books out at random at first, and now she was surrounded by close to a dozen.  Her fingers itched to try some of the designs set in front of her, and her mind quickly would reorganize and start making them more efficient with lost things.  Her fingers often itched for something to write her ideas down, but then she’d catch something interesting in the next book propped open and left with itching hands and an interesting idea.

 

But now she really needed that paper.  This little tidbit, well, it was what she was looking for she just needed a leaf and a stick to start making the design.

 

“Going already?” Tinkerbell flinched in the air and looked back to see Teardrop on a… ladder, if she remembered right from the books.

 

“No, just getting a leaf to take down some notes,” said Tinkerbell and Teardrop frowned at her.

 

“I don’t want any leaves in my library,” said Teardrop crossly. “And I suppose I didn’t mean leaving already, seeing how late it is already.”

 

“What?” asked Tinkerbell and followed Teardrop’s finger out the window to see that there were stars in the sky. “But the sun was still shining where I was sitting.”

 

“No, there are things by the window built to capture the light,” said Teardrop. “They don’t turn off until I signal.”

 

“Signal?” asked Tinkerbell, and Teardrop lifted a single eyebrow lifted her hands and clapped once, every light turned off except for a few candles.

 

“If you want I can tell the books to stay put for you to read tomorrow.” It took a second for Tinkerbell to realize that Teardrop was asking if she was coming back.

 

“Won’t that throw off your system?” asked Tinkerbell, she’d gotten the impression that the fairy was rather picky about where all the books being in their place.

 

“No, not if it’s only one pile, and it’s not like it will stay like that every time you come.  You are the only other one interested in coming back to the library,” said Teardrop strictly, a flash of something crossed her eyes. “Do you want me to keep the books where they are?”

 

“Yes.” It was only the tiniest of tension leaving Teardrop’s shoulders that belied how grateful she was for that fact.

 

“Good, I’ll show in the morning how to use ink, since you want to take notes,” said Teardrop, easily all business again. “I will not have leaves in my library except as a fast reference.  Now you should go before you start to worry your…”

 

“Tinkerbell!” Fairy Mary’s voice was far but frantic.

 

“Supervisor,” finished Teardrop.

 

“I guess I should go.  I’ll see you to-“ but when Tinkerbell turned around, Teardrop was gone.  The tinker paused a minute in surprise, wondering where the other fairy could have run away so quickly.  They were in the middle of the huge, well, next to a huge shelf of books, but that would take a long time to run around and she thought she would have heard that.  Plus, it wasn’t like Teardrop could fly with those wings.

 

“Tinkerbell!” the fairy in question jumped a little at how close the book was and flew quickly out the library doors, two sparrow men closing them behind her.  She never thought to look or she would have seen two big brown eyes watching her departure from a loft close to the front doors and a foot off the ground.

 

“Over here Fairy Mary,” called Tinkerbell and blinked at the frightened fairies terrified and worried face as the teacher fairy flew full speed her way.

 

“I only just found out you never returned,” said Fairy Mary, looking Tinkerbell all over as if she expected the tinker to be missing a limb.

 

“I’m sorry,” said Tinkerbell trying to cope with but also stop the fussing. “I lost track of time.”

 

“Did Teardrop try to make you do anything you didn’t want to?” asked the teacher fairy worriedly. 

 

“What -- no!” exclaimed Tinkerbell with a shake of her head. “I just got caught up reading.”

 

“Reading?” asked Fairy Mary flying back a little.

 

“Yeah, Teardrop has books on old tinker tools,” said Tinkerbell, practically humming with delight.

 

“You don’t need to know about out of date tools,” said Fairy Mary flippantly.

 

“No, they were really helpful.  I actually started thinking up something new for the autumn fairies, and I think it’ll work I just need to get the design down and then go down to the shore and actually try to put it together,” said Tinkerbell happily. “I’m going back to the library tomorrow…”

 

“You’re going back!” demanded fairy Mary throwing Tinkerbell off her happy spiel again.

 

“Of course, she had tons of books and she said it’s open to the public,” said Tinkerbell enthusiastically.

 

“Well, yes, that’s technically true,” muttered Fairy Mary. “But usually fairies don’t bother to learn how to read.”

 

“Teardrop said it was the language the Mainlanders used,” said Tinkerbell, her elation over the fact having not dissipated yet.

 

“Yes, you always had a knack for Mainland things,” said Fairy Mary ruefully. 

 

“Fairy Mary?” asked Tinkerbell and skipped back a step at the woman’s fierce glare.

 

“Now listen here Tinkerbell.  You shouldn’t be going back within five feet of that place.” Which was a little ridiculous since the library was so close to the Home Tree.  “Teardrop’s nothing but trouble.  When I sent you there I was banking on one of the fairies around her to be able to help you if you got in trouble, and I warned them.  Oh, they should have told me right away,” said Fairy Mary and Tinkerbell could feel her confusion growing.

 

“What’s wrong with Teardrop?  Sure she can be a little strict and reserved, but I think that’s just because she holes herself in that library,” said Tinkerbell looking back at the little knoll.

 

“Pease Tinkerbell, just trust me on this.  That fairy is bad business.  She was given that job because they wanted her away from everyone else.  Even the few fairies that do learn to read keep away from her for the most part,” said Fairy Mary and Tinkerbell found herself getting defensive.  No one should be pushed off to the side like that.  Teardrop was just really into her job and lonely.

 

“Just because she’s a little – odd and spends her time with books and not fairies, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel like us or make her some sort of monster.  She’s lonely, I could see it, she was excited to hear I was coming back and I’m not going to break her heart because you won’t look past her faults,” snapped Tinkerbell.

 

“Tinkerbell, you don’t understand, I’ve known her all my—“ started Fairy Mary.

 

“No, you don’t understand.  I found some really great information on tinkering and she’s… she’s odd but I’m sure that she just needs a little push in the right direction and I’d have her meeting my friends and…”

 

“No, Tinkerbell, you don’t understand…”

 

“No, you don’t, you weren’t there and maybe before you judge her you should really get to know her,” snapped Tinkerbell.

 

“Tinkerbell-” but Tinkerbell had already taken off in a huff.  She’d definitely go back now.  Of course she’d get her half of the work done, but right after that she’d go back to look at books and attempt to find an excuse to start dragging Teardrop out of the box she’d caged herself in.

 

“Tink, where are you going in such a hurry?” asked Silvermist forcing Tinkerbell to stop as her hand was captured by the water talent.  A second later Rosetta came flying behind them, panting under the strain of first looking for an hour for Tinkerbell and then chasing her almost all the way to Tinker Knock. 

 

“Back home,” said Tinkerbell harshly and tried to fly away, but Silvermist kept a firm grip.

 

“What’s wrong Dew Drop?” asked Silvermist imploringly. “First Fairy Mary set up alarm over you being gone but wouldn’t tell us why she was so worried.  And now we find you flying as fast as you can back to Tinker’s Knock all flustered.  Are you in trouble?  Do you need any help?”

 

“No, it’s just, I did an interview for Pixie Hollow today, in fact Fairy Mary wanted me to do it, then I go and do it and find these great books and this lonely fairy and then Fairy Mary tells me I can’t go back because Teardrop…”

 

“Teardrop?” suddenly Rosetta was all ears. “Oh, you poor thing, what did that horrible fairy do to you?  You know, you should tell Queen Ree, she’s been looking for…”

 

“What’s wrong with you fairies?” demanded Tinkerbell.  Silvermist looked between her friends in confusion and Rosetta looked affronted and confused. “Teardrop’s just a little awkward and strict is all.”

 

“No, Sunflower, you don’t understand,” said Rosetta, trying to smooth things over.  Tinkerbell just became more defensive.

 

“No, you don’t,” she said shortly and took off once more with the assurance they wouldn’t follow her. 

 

She angrily snapped the door behind her, dislodging some dust and inspiring a sneezing fit.  She would show them.  Telling her that she didn’t understand.  They didn’t understand.  They couldn’t see past what Teardrop showed them.  A little voice told Tinkerbell that it was odd they thought that, what seemed like a reserved strict librarian was dangerous.  Tinkerbell ignored that voice.  She needed to see those books again, if just to solidify her idea for the invention, and to put her plan into effect, because there was no way that a fairy could have done anything that she couldn’t be forgiven for if only given the chance.

 


	3. Tar

Tink woke up the next morning and zipped through her work load fast enough to be done by the time Fairy Mary usually checked on her.  Bobble and Clank watched her quick retreat with understandable curiosity, though they would probably never question what was going on.  Tinkerbell wondered what she would finally come up with and how exactly she would draw Teardrop out of her shell.  Maybe the best way was to let the books fairy act professional.  Let her talk about her books and her system and her ink.  Then Tinkerbell could gradually work on getting more personal information from the fairy, like where she lived, her favorite book, and go on from there.  She might even be able to drag the other fairies to learn how to read from Teardrop, introduce the book fairy to the outside world.  Not Roseetta, because she was being as stubborn as Fairy Mary, but maybe Silvermist and Iridessa, the light fairy would probably love how organized and straight thinking Teardrop was.

 

“I’m here!” she called into the library.  Teardrop materialized out of one of the rows of books with an eyebrow raised, and Tinkerbell blushed as she remembered that the fairy liked her library to be quiet, almost silent, if it wasn’t for the dull thud of feet across the floor or the buzz that came from the busy world outside the library.

 

“I suppose I should get bells over the door so you don’t have to shout your presence every time you go through them,” said Teardrop tersely.

 

“Why do we have to be so quiet?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Easier for others to concentrate on their books without annoying interruptions,” said Teardrop logically.

 

“No one else is in here but me and you,” pointed out Tinkerbell. “Plus, you can hear everything going on outside, isn’t that distracting?”

 

“No,” said Teardrop quickly with a look almost synonymous with longing crossing her face.  The emotion was quickly wiped off her face and replaced with strict learning in seconds as Teardrop looked back at Tinkerbell. “Do you still want to take notes?”

 

“Yes,” said Tinkerbell excitedly, and got a quick approving nod from Teardrop as she started to walk quickly toward a stack of paper and ceramic inkwell.  Tinkerbell fluttered excitedly over to Teardrop, which afforded her an annoyed glance.  It was suddenly evident to her that since Teardrop couldn’t fly, the fact she was could, could cause tension in their friendship.

 

“These are yours. You need more paper it’ll be with me at the desk as I write,” said Teardrop offhandedly.

 

“I thought you wrote the spring story yesterday,” said Tinkerbell.  Teardrop looked less than impressed at her ignorance.

 

“No, I was compiling and organizing.  I’m going to start writing it up today.  It’ll take me the next three days,” said Teardrop and turned and picked up a sharpened stick and hatchlings feather. “These are your tools for writing.  The stick it more useful if you want something precise.  Down side is you have to ‘re-ink’ it often, or in about four letters the ink becomes too thin to see.  The feather is less precise and is more fragile.  However it holds more ink and you can get more out of one dip.”

 

“Alright,” said Tinkerbell a little confused.  She could have figured all that out by herself just by watching Teardrop the day before and experimentation.

 

“Now, the ink, that’s what you really have to worry about,” said Teardrop gripping the ceramic inkwell softly in her hands. Tinkerbell leaned toward it a little.  Why did she have to worry about ink?

 

“Well, I call it ink at any rate,” continued Teardrop placing the ink well next to the paper again. “It’s better known as tar.”

 

“Tar?” asked Tinkerbell looking at the small soft white curve, of the ceramic met the thick black ink inside the inkwell.  Teardrop looked at her incredulously for a second, thought about it, and then seemed to come to a conclusion.

 

“I think that fairies these days refer to Tar as black magic now,” said Teardrop.  Tinkerbell’s eyes grew wide and she threw herself backward, away from the evil concoction.  Teardrop looked back at her with that same dead look that said she thought Tinkerbell was overreacting.  Tinkerbell was finally getting why the fairies all seemed to have something against Teardrop if the fairy was silly enough to work with black magic.

 

“Oh, no, I touched it,” said Tinkerbell looking down at her hands in horror. 

 

“Don’t get so bent out of shape,” snapped Teardrop with a roll of her eyes. “Tar is completely harmless when dry.  Silly fairies making it sound worse than it is.”

 

“But I’ve heard it killed a fairy,” said Tinkerbell twitchily.  Teardrop rolled her eyes.

 

“Fairies cannot be rid of so easily,” said Teardrop in perfect lecture mode. “But, a long time ago, it did severely cripple a fairy.  Almost burned the wings right off her back, turned her hair a sickly grey, and made her hunched and compact.  But she was drenched in ink for a long time.” 

 

“Oh, how long does it take?” asked Tinkerbell, Teardrop turned around and Tinkerbell found her eyes drawn to Teardrop’s broken blue wings. 

 

“About fifteen minutes to cause lasting harm,” shrugged Teardrop, and turning around, she shoved her hands in Tinkerbell’s face. “I sometimes get distracted and don’t notice the ink until it starts to sting, and then I can hardly ever get water fast enough to stop corrosion.”

 

Tinkerbell blinked and then took the dark hands and ran her hands lightly over them.  The skin was light and bunched in areas showing where the scars from the black magic had starting eating away at her skin.

 

“As I said, you don’t have anything to worry about.  Just keep an eye out for any ink that gets on you, and I’ll get someone to fly you to the nearest river,” said Teardrop with a shrug.

 

“Couldn’t you--”

 

“No,” said Teardrop fiercely, cutting off Tinkerbell with a sharp turn and making the fairy flinch.  There was an extended where Teardrop was obviously waiting for Tinkerbell to pick up her stuff and leave to do her research. “Yes?”

 

“Well, it’s just, well your… you see, it’s just I was wondering...” muttered Tinkerbell.

 

“Spit it out or let it go Tinkerbell,” said Teardrop severely, making Tinkerbell more nervous.

 

“It’s just your… wings,” said Tinkerbell, hoping that Teardrop understood her.

 

“Ah yes, how astute of you,” said Teardrop her frown softening. “When I was younger an entire vat of tar was dropped on me.  Sunshine got me into the water and scrubbed me down in a hurry, but wings are so much more delicate than skin, and well, this is the result,” said Teardrop with depressed eyes.

 

“So, now you can’t fly?” asked Tinkerbell in horror.  Teardrop perked a little at that question.

 

“What?  No, I can still fly.  My wings just ache from time to time,” she said with a shrug.

 

“But, you walk everywhere,” said Tinkerbell in surprise.

 

“Yes, well, I work inside.  I don’t have to fly,” said Teardrop.

 

“But wouldn’t it be easier to fly to the books on the top shelves instead of using that ladder?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Yes, but not as practical,” said Teardrop.  Tinkerbell watched her, waiting for some elaboration that would clear it up.  None was forth coming. “Are you going to back to your research?”

 

“Um,” Tinkerbell looked dubiously at the inkwell and heard and exasperated sigh escape Teardrop’s lips.

 

“Follow me,” said the librarian shortly.

 

“What?” asked Tinkerbell fluttering over to her after a minute of being frozen.  Teardrop opened a door she hadn’t noticed before and started heading crisply out of sight.  Tinkerbell followed slowly behind.  The door led to stairs that led ominously down into darkness, the light from the door hardly illuminated the steps before being swallowed into the pitch black of whatever was down bellow.  Not even the mining caves were this dark. 

 

As she descended the stairs eventually ended and it wasn’t long until Tinkerbell was feeling more nervous than a field mouse that had just spotted a hawk.  She quickly made each creak and odd rustle ten times louder in her own mind.  Each little sound was some odd, evil, and dangerous creature just waiting for her to let her guard down and then rip her to shreds.

 

“Teardrop,” she whispered worriedly, wondering if it was really Teardrop’s leaf that was rustling in front of her.  Something brushed against her side and Tinkerbell squealed in surprise.

 

“Take my hand.”

 

“What?” asked Tinkerbell trying to slow down her rapidly beating heart.

 

“Take my hand,” said Teardrop just as softly and something skimmed Tinkerbell's waist again.

 

Blushing Tinkerbell took the hand firmly between the two of hers.  She thought she heard a choked chuckle from in front of her, but for Teardrop’s sake choose to ignore it.

 

“Let go and stand still until I get the blinds open,” said Teardrop, voice still soft, though Tinkerbell was sure she could hear a bit of smile in the words, Tinkerbell would let her have her fun, the strict fairy probably didn’t allow herself enough chances for a good laugh.

 

Suddenly light flooded the room and Tinkerbell blinked rapidly, but her eyes rapidly adjusted.  She looked to see Teardrop coming back from the high windows having schooled her face so that Tinkerbell could hardly see a smirk, and if she hadn’t been looking for it she never would have seen it.  Teardrop turned, and as she tugged and pulled what Tinkerbell realized that Teardrop had dragged her to a dank room.  Besides it being very dusty, there were shelves filled with medium and small clay pots and in the middle of the small room three large clay vats, all topped with a heavy lid.

 

With a small grunt Teardrop finally removed one of the covers from the clay pots and then waved Tinkerbell to her.  Tinkerbell slowly and carefully made her way over and looked into the pot.  It was filled to the brim with thick pitch black tar. 

 

“These were filled during the last great leak of tar,” said Teardrop with a flourish, her hand dangerously close to the tar.

 

“Where does it come from?” at Teardrop’s startled look she shrugged. “I’ve heard of it, but I never learned where it came from.”

 

“The gold dust.  Once in a while there’ll be a big leak of this into the gold dust, but it’s usually only a trickle,” said Teardrop, her eyes never leaving the black ink, she looked suddenly up at Tinkerbell. “Why such surprise?  Everything needs a foil.  There could hardly be gold dust if there wasn’t something it’s exact opposite, and these things tend to come together in a nice package.  I wouldn’t worry though; you only need to start worrying about then when four or five dust fairies are born at once.  Two just mean there could be an influx in fairies, but five and three of them will be fishing out tar by the buckets and finding all sort of leaks to patch up.”

 

“He never mentioned this,” said Tinkerbell distractedly.

 

“Dusty is still there?” Teardrop sounded amazed, Tinkerbell looked at her confusion.

 

“No, Terrance, who is Dusty?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Ah, I thought so,” said Teardrop, ignoring Tinkerbell's question. “Your friend probably didn’t want to scare you.  He probably only finds a little every once in a while.  It’s been a season since he had any tar for me, and that was in the tiniest pot yet.”

 

“Oh, well, that’s good,” said Tinkerbell, but still feeling a little hurt. “How do they get it out?”

 

“Ah, no worry there, the dust fairies are born with an innate ability to notice and also the skill required to reach in and throw the tar out. of the dust  Even if to us it’s a liquid, dust fairies can somehow make the tar stick together and get rid of it in one quick flick,” said Teardrop with a small smile.

 

“You’ve seen it done?” asked Tinkerbell and Teardrop returned to the present.

 

“Yes, when I was born it was one of those times of a very bad leak,” said Teardrop and then shrugged. “I used to help Sunshine to organize it all.”

 

“You’re a dust fairy?” asked Tinkerbell excitedly.  It would explain a lot, of course Teardrop would be bitter if her own talent gave her those wings.

 

“No,” said Teardrop shortly.  Her eyes quickly fled to the vat. “Tinkerbell, could you be a dear and get my pouch by the door, the smaller one, and please don’t open it.”

 

Tinkerbell cocked her head to the side, but Teardrop seemed suddenly fascinated by the tar, her eyes wide and intense.  Shrugging the timer went over and got the small pouch.  She even gave it to the fairy without letting her interest make her open the pouch to see the mystery inside. 

 

Tinkerbell frowned in disappointment when Teardrop turned her back on the curious girl.  She wondered what the other fairy could possibly doing moving like that.  But self preservation made her wait by the door.  Of course, her eyes were drawn to the larger pouch next to her.  It probably had whatever Teardrop was getting inside it, right?  Tink’s fingers itched, and almost without her consent the tinker was lifting the flap to look inside. 

 

She only caught a flash of sunshine gold before a firm dark hand had closed it.  She looked sheepishly up at Teardrop who was frowning at her in disappointment.  Tinkerbell idly wondered how long it had taken the older fairy to perfect that stare, while she backed up slowly, holding her hands up in submission.

 

“I believe you have some research to do,” said Teardrop shortly, and Tinkerbell almost sighed in annoyance.  One step forward and two steps back.  She looked into the black room they had walked to and couldn’t even see the light from the doorway from where they were.  She held out her hand and, to her horror, made a pathetic whining noise in fear.  Teardrop rolled her eyes, but took Tinkerbell’s hand and dutifully led Tinkerbell back through the dusty archives. 

 

Tinkerbell grabbed her paper, pens, and inkwell and flew to the tinker section and to her open books.  She quickly lost track of time making designs, destroying and crumpling paper, until finally she came up with three solid designs that at least looked like they would work.  She flew up to the window and grinned happily.  It hadn’t taken her as long as she thought.  She had at least an hour of good sunlight to gather the Mainland things, and she was used to long nights of tinkering. 

 

She gathered her papers up and then looked at horror at the mess still there.  At the least she should put the books and make things look a little neat.

 

“Go ahead.  I’ve got things here,” Tinkerbell jumped at Teardrop’s no nonsense voice.

 

“But I made the mess and…” Tinkerbell stumbled off at Teardrop’s raised eyebrow.  The librarian raised her hands and Tinkerbell flinched, causing a brief speculative look to run across Teardrop’s face, before the dark fairy clapped smartly twice.  The two dozen books sprang up almost immediately and were back in their places in an instance.

 

“Oh, thank you Teardrop,” said Tinkerbell in embarrassment, Teardrop nodded in acknowledgement and headed toward the table since it still had papers strewn across it.

 

“Tomorrow I’d suggest bringing a satchel or the like to put your papers and stuff in,” said Teardrop.

 

“Um, right,” said Tinkerbell flying away backwards. “I’ll fly – talk to you – see you later.”

 

And Tinkerbell was flying fast out of the library.  She hadn’t needed to say goodbye to Teardrop, the librarian was already engrossed in tidying up Tinkerbell’s work table. 

 

The beach was as soothing as ever.  Tinkerbell took a deep breath in, just smelling the sweet aroma of the sea.  She turned around brusquely and looked over and between the grasses, her eyes seeking out lost things. 

 

A quick flash of purple caught the tinker’s eyes as she was looking.  It was harder to find lost things these days since they had become more popular.  A lot of those things found their way into tinker’s corner for the new tools that the tinkers made and a few left over for Tinkerbell to play with.  Still, she couldn’t see Vidia loosening up enough to actually use something that Tinkerbell had come up with.  Was the fast flying fairy trying to sabotage Tinkerbell somehow?  She had done that once before, though what the fairy thought she could do was beyond Tinkerbell.

 

Tinkerbell flew over and watched Vidia flitter around.  The fast flying fairy ignored most of the useful Mainland things, but her interest seemed to be caught by the most inane and bulky materials.  A long polished splinter, a huge round black rock, and finally she started tugging at a black piece of cloth.  Finally Vidia huffed and sent two cyclones down at the where the cloth was caught, finally dislodging it.  The cloth was completely black except for a white skull and cross bones in the center.  Vidia seemed stunned, just fluttering there for a minute, before she took off faster, moving all her findings in the middle of the cloth.

 

“What are you doing?” asked Tinkerbell finally.  Vidia flinched and looked back with her same dry glare. “You’re not trying to sabotage me?”

 

“What?” asked Vidia, as if the thought hadn’t even crossed her mind and that the thought was even beneath her.

 

“Good, because you wouldn’t be doing a very good job of it,” said Tinkerbell with a quick glance at Vidia’s findings.  The fast flying fairy snorted and looked away from Tinkerbell returning her attention to her – treasures. “So, why are you here?  Suddenly find an interest in useless Mainland things?”

 

“No, I’m here on a hunch and collecting things I think will prove my point,” said Vidia, tugging up at the Mainland things, obviously trying to get away from the other fairy as fast as she could.

 

“What hunch?” asked Tinkerbell, a little suspicious but also curious.  Vidia paused in her work to look snootily at Tinkerbell in disgust as if she thought that Tinkerbell wasn’t only a menace and below her but also just plain stupid.

 

“I just caught the last sprinting thistle yesterday,” said Vidia with a glare. “What in Never Land makes you think that I want to talk to you?”

 

“You know, maybe you’d have friends if you didn’t act like that,” said Tinkerbell angrily and Vidia let loose her treasures and flew right into Tinkerbell’s face.

 

“Who says I don’t have friends you pretentious tinker nobody?” asked Vidia dangerously.

 

“I didn’t see anyone coming to your rescue when they found it was basically your fault that the sprinting thistles almost ended spring,” countered Tinkerbell and getting close enough so that their noses were almost touching.

 

“Listen you little squirt, let’s get one thing straight, my intuition and knowledge has saved Pixie Hollow more times than your little tinker tools will ever make up for your blunders,” said Vidia and then flew back a little to give a Tinkerbell a flippant once over. “Plus it didn’t take much to sabotage your corral; one small gust, and you were out of your league.  I probably could have left it alone and you still would have messed it up.”

 

“You shouldn’t’ have been encouraging me to be a garden fairy, you shouldn’t have set me up,” fumed Tinkerbell her wings fluttering in agitation.

 

“You shouldn’t have tried to change your talent,” countered Vidia.

 

“You should have just said no, and plus, I wasn’t asking you about becoming a garden fairy,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“No, you asked me to teach you to become a fast flying fairy and then dared suggest you could be flying as fast as I could in a week when it’s taken my whole life working hard to perfect my flying to this,” snapped Vidia.  Tinkerbell blinked and backed up a little, looked like flying fast was a very testy area for the other fairy.  And then the tinker frowned.  Vidia should be concerned about her job yes, but not to the point that she never made friends and connection.

 

“You know, I think if you’d stop being so conceited maybe someone would actually want to be your friend.  I mean, I haven’t met a fairy yet that can truly said they’re your friends,” said Tinkerbell harshly.  Vidia hissed at the tinker.

 

“I don’t need a bunch of whimpering fairies around me to know that I’m worth something,” sneered Vidia. “Plus, I have friends.”

 

“I think you sounded just a little too defensive there Vidia,” said Tinkerbell with a smile she never thought she’d ever find in herself. “But go on; tell me who your friends are.”

 

Vidia made a funny face, as if realizing that she was going too far.  It was quickly replaced with a haughty sniff and Tinkerbell dismissed the look as the other girl realizing she had no friends.

 

“So what are you doing down here princess?” asked Vidia, holding her nails out in boredom. “Run out of Mainland junk in your ditch.”

 

“No I’ve been doing some research to help out the other seasons, you know, because I actually do make a difference in them,” said Tinkerbell with a bright but twisted smile.  Ignoring the fact the other fairy was obviously changing the subject and also going through the ‘Mainland junk’ as she had so eloquently called it.

 

“Research?  What, got your head together with those two morons and somehow exchange valuable tinkering insight?” said Vidia with a mocking laugh.

 

“No, actually it was in the library.” At Vidia’s surprised expression, Tinkerbell smiled triumphantly. “I had an interview to write about what happened during the spring with the librarian Teardrop.  She told me that I could use the library resources whenever I wanted.  Maybe you should go, there’ll probably be a section on fast flying fairies, no matter how small it is.  It probably has the name of several important fast flying fairies that were much faster than you.”

 

“You… you agreed to an interview?  Even after they told you what she did?  Either you’re very brave, or very stupid,” scoffed Vidia and Tinkerbell felt her cheeks heating red, though she shouldn’t have expected anything more from the superficial fast flying fairy.

 

“Teardrop is a bit odd, and might use Dark Magic for ink, but she’s just lonely and maybe if you just let her she’d open up you’d see what a good person she is,” snapped Tinkerbell angrily, glad that there was someone she could yell at and not feel guilty about it later.  There was a quick flicker of surprise in Vidia’s expression that threw Tinkerbell off, just a little.

 

“They didn’t tell you,” said Vidia, and then that same cruel and false submission smile crossed her face. “Of course, I suppose that I really don’t have any reason to be mistrustful of her.  I’d be sure to tell Queen Clarion about it though.”

 

“What does that mean?” asked Tinkerbell, firmly set on the defensive.

 

“Nothing, nothing,” assured Vidia with a small cruel smile. “Go right ahead and read your precious books.  Only a tinker like you would think that a bunch of squiggles would actually tell you anything of real importance.”

 

And with that Vidia called up her winds and was flying away with her stuff firmly in hand and well supported by the wind.  Tinkerbell watched her go with the assurance that she had won that round.  Still, that look and immediate backing down… it was the same sort of thing she had done when Tinkerbell had said the thing about the Mainland, and Tinkerbell couldn’t help but think that maybe – maybe there was something to Teardrop that might be dangerous that when Tinkerbell found out would have Vidia saying ‘I told you so.’

 

Tinkerbell shook her head.  No.  No matter what Teardrop had done to cause suspicion, no fairy should be locked away from the outside and contact from other fairies, no fairy should be denied their talent.  She would continue to stick by her new friend.  She would see to it that the other connected with the outside world again if she had to get every last fairy interested in books and the library, and with that firm in mind Tinkerbell began her quest for the needed lost objects on the calm beach. 


	4. Soothing Dust and Tinker Toys

Teardrop lazily placed the book back in its proper place.  She had learned long ago that even if books didn’t speak out loud to express their current preferences, they could be quite vocal about the books they liked and disliked.  So, usually during the night, they would flutter over to their friends' spot and hope that the dark fairy didn’t come and check on them that day.  The only problem was that Teardrop had memorized every spine of every book and could easily tell when there were some missing, and she would get around to correcting it immediately.

 

With a gentle sigh, Teardrop slipped to the floor.  Her wings ached a little, and she wished morosely that she didn’t have to be so sparing with the gold dust.  It was easier at the beginning of her imprisonment once she had started exploring.  With the larger vats of tar stored in the archives of the library, she had been able to easily find some gold dust that had been pulled into the vat along with the tar.  She had had several bags of it stored that would keep her feeling alive and connected. 

 

But now, Teardrop barely had a bag and a half left and she had to use the magic wisely.  So she only used it on her wings, and on bad days.  Of course, she had spoiled herself and even this weak ache was disrupting her.  But the pain that would shake her body if she didn’t at least treat it with a little bit of magic.

 

The old fairy glanced back at her current project.  It was taking a while to compile all the data and figure out exactly what she wanted and what she could discard, but at the same time it wouldn’t take long enough before she was back to doing inane jobs here and there, tidying up and dusting the old books, and spending hours walking back and forth with books to put in their proper places just so she would have something to do in the library.  It wouldn’t be that long until Tinkerbell stopped coming, if only because she lost interest or because one of her friends told her something that disgusted her enough to keep the tinker away from even the Mainland books.

 

Teardrop sighed. She should be grateful to see the tinker at all.  To have someone come who didn’t talk as fast as they could and fly out, someone who didn’t look at her in disgust, someone who wasn’t terrified of her or pitied her.  That would change, but she would be ready.  That’s why being the ‘librarian’ was so useful.  She had always been more detached from other fairies when working, her mind only for getting the job done and working in a professional manner with those around her.  In the old days it was what had given her a spine, now it let her once in a while hear the door creak open, find a book written by one of the few fairies who knew the language, and not care who it was that had snuck in and out in fear and only care to get the book filed away in the right section.

 

Teardrop supposed she should be sad to not have more friends like Vidia, friends she could let her barriers partially around and at least act like herself.  She had those once, but even if they were alive, they never came to visit and now were more enemies than anything else.  Plus, Vidia was safe.  The fairy was self absorbed enough to not really care about where Teardrop came from and be interested in the power that was her, and loyal enough to not give her away and keep their meetings secret. 

 

Teardrop’s eyes glanced up at her loft.  She had run out of the pie the other day and had hardly a sip of dandelion milk left.  She hoped it was near Friday, she was hungry and the fairies in charge of guarding her had forgotten to give her her weakly ration of food.  Vidia would bring company she could relax around and food.  She would be a God.  The fast flying fairy would also be able to update Teardrop on how her proposal of pirates was going. 

 

Teardrop sat heavily down at the table and lifted her ‘pen’ in one hand.  It was a little disappointing that Vidia had chosen now to come and visit her.  If Teardrop had had it her way Vidia would have come to that conclusion after the pirates had come and left.  Teardrop only got to taste the outside when she snuck away to Vidia’s, it was the only time she dared go out into the open air.  Now that Vidia was coming every Friday she had no reason to venture under the stars, she was stuck in her prison of dusty books and suffocating walls.

 

Dark brown eyes glanced out a high window.  It looked to be about midday.  She was waiting; she knew she was waiting and that there was a good chance that Tinkerbell wasn’t coming that day.  She had come up with the designs she wanted and was probably working out the kinks and showing whatever season it was for how it was used.  There was a very good chance she’d never see the other fairy again.

 

Teardrop shrugged, outwardly trying to disregard the hurt at the thought.  It wasn’t like the realization hurt more than the betrayal she had to deal with everyday.  It wasn’t like she what she felt every second she was forced to be away from her sister that ache to be closer to the other half of her soul.  It was only a sting that would be forgotten when Vidia visited her for the first time in her forced element and forgotten as soon as the history of the tinker fairies was neatly put in a place and filed away.

 

“I’m here,” Teardrop slowly looked up to glare dispassionately at the tinker fairy.  Not only had the silly fairy proven her wrong, but she had disrupted her peace and almost broken her door.

 

“I hadn’t expected to see you so soon,” said Teardrop at length, standing up to walk to the winded fairy, who was looking scandalized about something that Teardrop couldn’t even begin to put a finger on. “I had thought that you’d be busy with your inventions.”

 

“Oh,” said Tinkerbell as if that hadn’t even occurred to her.

 

“What day is it?” asked Teardrop finally standing in front of the fairy.

 

“Thursday, why?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“I have trouble remembering the days of the week and was curious,” said Teardrop easily covering up the happy dance her mind was doing in celebration that Vidia would be coming with pie in just one day.

 

“Oh,” and that was the tinker’s word of the day it seemed.  Teardrop easily hid amusement, though it probably danced across her eyes the way that Tinkerbell was smiling at her.

 

“If you need my help you know where to find me,” said Teardrop with a small bow.  She jumped a little when Tinkerbell flew in front of her, the tinker’s eyes caught on something just below her neck.

 

“What is that?  It’s so sparkly and red,” said the tinker, positively enchanted and hand reaching out.  Teardrop instinctively pulled away from it.  Tinkerbell pulled her hand back, but her eyes continued to be fascinated with the necklace. “It’s so pretty, is it from the Mainland?”

 

“No,” said Teardrop crisply. “It’s a pirate’s trinket given to me by Ree.”

 

“Ree?” asked Tinkerbell with confusion and then a light seemed to on. “Like Queen Ree?”

 

“Yes,” said Teardrop, hoping that her clipped tone would discourage the fairies continued inquiries, but it seemed Tinkerbell believed that she was being her usual abrupt self and pressed forward for information.

 

“She must have known you liked that sort of thing,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“It was what she gave me along with this job,” said Teardrop with a jaded chuckle.

 

“That was nice,” said Tinkerbell, Teardrop glanced at the fairy, she could really be quite thick little tinker fairy couldn’t she?  Well, it seemed that she’d just have to distract the fairy away from this line of conversation before it started treading into dangerous waters.

 

“You really like Mainland things, don’t you?” asked Teardrop rhetorically.

 

“Oh, yeah, I love them; I wish I knew about all the odds and ends.  I mean, I reassembled something that made the most beautiful sound.  It had a dancer on top that when she turned made the most beautiful sound, but I have no idea what it’s called,” said Tinkerbell, and Teardrop allowed a small encouraging smile grace her lips.

 

“Well, there is a way to find out,” said the dark fairy and turned the young fairy to look at the shelves off to the far right. “Those shelves, all the way up, are all dedicated to Mainland things.   They have stories, manuscripts, and some even give descriptions and names to the things fond there.”

 

“Really?” asked Tinkerbell, her eyes lighting under the prospect.

 

“Yup, and if you want I can even show you my collection of lost things down in the archives,” said the librarian pointing to the door that led into the darkness.  She stifled a chuckle when Tinkerbell tensed nervously. “A room full of ten shelves all labeled with each item neatly stacked in its place.”

 

“You’d really take me to see that?” asked Tinkerbell, fear forgotten.  Teardrop smiled triumphantly and noticed the same look reflected in Tinkerbell, Teardrop somehow got the feeling it wasn’t because the fairy got to see the lost things. 

 

“This is a library, you can see anything within its walls,” she said softly and then pushed back a forced smile when Tinkerbell started looking at her with doubt. “Or, of course, you can go back to your tinker books.  A fairy is her talent after all.”

 

Teardrop turned, it didn’t matter which the fairy choose, as long as she stopped asking her personal questions and didn’t leave.  Teardrop sneered in disgust, there had been a time that she would have scoffed at the idea of someone looking at books rather than working like they were supposed to.  She didn’t mind play every once in a while, on an off season it was often therapeutic for most fairies, but this was a tinker, tinkers were supposed to be constantly busy, though if they had enough they could start dividing the tinkers between seasons and having experts in each.

 

Teardrop shook her head.  No, she didn’t need to justify to herself as to why Tinkerbell could keep coming back and not bar the door from the poor fairy.  Tinkerbell was working, she wasn’t only a tinker, she was an inventor, and inventors were constantly doing research and the books that information.  Out of all the fairies tinker and teaching fairies always had a place in her library as long as they had done their designated job for the day.  Doing extra work was admirable.

 

“Teardrop!” the dark fairy jumped in shock as the tinker fairy appeared only a few inches from her face and quickly schooled her features and lightly glared at the annoying girl.

 

“Yes?” she asked at length.

 

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for the last few minutes, but you’ve just been looking out that window,” said Tinkerbell and Teardrop sighed and rubbed the knot between her eyes.

 

“I’m sorry, I was thinking about a project I’ve been having trouble with.  What was it that you wanted to ask me Tinkerbell?” asked Teardrop trying to sound slightly friendly. 

 

“Um, well, I was wondering if we could go to the archives?” said the fairy timidly.  Teardrop smirked a little and bowed for Tinkerbell to follow her.

 

“We’re – going down in the dark again,” said Tinkerbell despairingly, looking down the dark steps into the encompassing darkness.

 

“I did warn you,” said Teardrop only letting a little of her amusement slow in her voice, and started her decent down the steps.

 

“Meanie,” whispered Tinkerbell and Teardrop hastily coughed to cover her laugh.

 

“Here,” said Teardrop holding back her hand for Tinkerbell.

 

“What?”

 

“You seemed to be calmer when you held my hand in the dark yesterday,” said Teardrop, trying desperately to keep most of the amusement from her voice.

 

“Oh, yeah, thanks,” and like that the other fairy was attached to her, two small hands gripping her hand so hard her bones ached.

 

Teardrop smiled.  She remembered this, a dark so deep that it even swallowed her sisters light.  She had been the strong one then too.  Teardrop didn’t mind the dark; she felt most at ease being in the dark when her sister’s light wasn’t there to protect her.  Of course, that same person was the reason that she was in this library and not out there actually doing some good.  She was the reason that Teardrop would hardly dare to catch a breeze, the reason why in a few days she wasn’t going to hardly get out of her bed.

 

Brown eyes looked back at the slightly glowing fairy behind her and wondered if the tinker realized that her guide blended right into the darkness and not realize how incredibly odd that was.  Of course Tinkerbell could always attribute that to the fact she was so dark, she was young enough to get away with that.  Teardrop had to wonder what the other fairy would think of her once she realized that every fairy always gave out a faint glow, not enough that they couldn’t hide in the dark, but enough to see against pitch black.

 

“Let go,” said Teardrop, easily falling back on her role as librarian, this was her job after all.  She stepped quickly over to the where the shades were.  These windows were smaller but, ah, yes, she had enough magic to have light streaming in through the windows, and lighting up a very good proportion of the lost things.  She heard a small awed gasp and smiled as she went on and opened the other four windows blinds and throwing the light in so that there was only the odd shadow in the corner.

 

“Wow, this is… amazing,” gushed Tinkerbell.  Teardrop cast an uninterested eye back to the shelves full of random Mainland things, all carefully categorized by her.  She didn’t have much interest in it, but she was partial to the old tinker tools herself.  She looked at Tinkerbell who had already taken a piece of copper and looking around frantically around for something that she could add it to.  Yes, Tinkerbell being here was more than acceptable; the fairies needed someone like her to keep them on their toes and thinking.

 

“Spend as much time as you want down here until the sun goes down and I have to close down the library,” said Teardrop heading toward the door and placing a hand on thick rope.

 

“But how will I get back?” asked Tinkerbell.  Teardrop froze and looked back at the Tinkerbell with a look that had her ducking and blushing.  The dark fairy pulled down and a loud gong sounded making the tinker jump a few inches in the air without the help of her wings.  Well, the tinker was amusing, if nothing else.

 

“Just ring the gong,” said Teardrop smartly and the tinker fairy sent her a pouty glare.  An idea suddenly came to her and she forced herself to relax.  She lazily smiled at Tinkerbell, who still looked a little skeptical and put a soothing hand on the other fairy’s arm.

 

“Teardrop?” the young fairy was so innocent.  Silly little thing that wouldn’t listen to her elders advice, but it did help Teardrop, and in the end, all of Pixie Hollow. 

 

“Don’t worry, I’ll hear it, I’ll be listening,” said Teardrop and ran her hand down the tinker’s arm and then clasped her hands together. “I’ll also be writing your story so it’ll be hard not to be thinking of you.”

 

Tinkerbell smiled and returned to her wonder of Mainland things.  Teardrop cast them one last check, before remember one important detail.

 

“Whatever you tinker with gets disassembled and then placed back in its rightful place,” the tinker fairy looked devastated, they didn’t like destroying things; it wasn’t in their nature unless they were figuring out how it worked. “It you want, there’s paper and ink over there if you wish to record your results and make it easier to replicate later.”

 

Tinkerbell looked her over skeptically for a minute.

 

“You knew that I would want to come down here, didn’t you?” asked the tinker fairy her tone light and teasing.

 

“Well, you are too inquisitive for your own good,” said Teardrop in a deadpan voice. “I hope that you find this – informative.”

 

And she left.  Teardrop smiled as she melted into the shadows, the resulting rustling of wings behind her telling her that Tinkerbell was getting caught up in her work and that it would be hours before the other fairy would have to worry about the tinker wanting to come out of the room.  Sure, it wasn’t books, but knowledge didn’t just come from books, indeed, most of it came through the actual experimentation and fiddling process. 

 

She lazily entered the tar room.  She didn’t need the light to see where she was going, to see what she wanted to.  Using her pinky she opened the smaller of the pouches and blinked when a small stream of gold light found its way out.  She opened her hand and shifted the handful of gold dust she had taken from Tinkerbell and just stared at it for a second.  She could use this much for three days if she was careful. 

 

It wasn’t like Tinkerbell needed all that magic anyway; just unneeded extra, wasted when she went to sleep and it used itself up on her bed.  So, this bit of magic was what would continue to get Teardrop by until Tinkerbell stopped coming.  Teardrop wasn’t sure what she would do once her stash of gold dust ran out.  Hopefully Tinkerbell would keep coming and then not long after she stopped there would be another bad episode of tar in the gold pixie dust.

 

Sighing Teardrop closed the bag quickly, the temptation to use it was too great for her to keep standing there.  Plus, she had a book to write; it wouldn’t do for her to continue to dwell on what she lacked, like food, like the ability to actually to do what she was made for.  Tears touched her eyes, and Teardrop bit back a horrified gasp.  She couldn’t… not with Tinkerbell still in the library and so close.  But the dark fairy knew the signs and symptoms.  She knew that there was nothing to stop it, and no one to comfort them away.

 

A sob broke through her concentration and Teardrop actually found herself sprawled, though what had tripped her, whether it was a stack of books or her own feet she couldn’t be certain. 

 

“Teardrop!  Teardrop are you alright?  I heard a crash,” Teardrop allowed a bitter smile to cross her lips.  She could almost see the tinker fairy at the edge between the light and darkness looking for the dark fairy who had knocked, well, something over and probably banged her knee pretty badly in the process.

 

“I’m fine,” choked out Teardrop and winced.  Her voice had cracked with the thickness of her grief.

 

“Teardrop,” now the tinker sounded stupid enough to run into the darkness when she didn’t have the capacity to see in this thick darkness.  And there were the first few steps toward her.

 

“Tinkerbell, remain in that room until you are done tinkering and don’t you dare leave it a second earlier,” threatened Teardrop and heard the scarred gasp from the Mainland archives.  She stood on unsteady legs; the tears stopped for now, and limped out of the darkness and into the main library. 

 

She slammed the door behind her and listened to the gong.  It never came.  The dark fairy smiled bitterly and wondered if the tinker had tried to go back to her tinkering or if the silly feather had actually tried to find her in the darkness.  Well, if got too late she’d just have to go fairy hunting in the pitch black.  Fairy Mary would kill her, and Queen Ree would probably get involved, it would be like a happy little reunion. 

 

Teardrop let loose a wet laugh and limped over to her table.  She needed to write it, the history was important.  Tears fell down her cheek and Teardrop found herself caught between hysterical laughter and tears.  She put her head in her hands and trailed them back over and through her knotted hair until she was crying full out, unable to see the tar of paper at all.

 

Another wet chuckle escaped her lips.  What was the use?  This important?  She had all the time in the world to write it, well, until Tinkerbell came back under Fairy Mary’s wing and she found the girl had gone insane in the darkness.  Of course Queen Ree would then do a very thorough investigation and find out that her precious rubies didn’t worked, hadn’t ever really worked on the dark fairy.  She had her talents as long as her sister had hers.  The fact they hadn’t realized this just proved how much they were trying to forget her and what she’d done. 

 

But now?  The rubies didn’t work, she had found away to get dust, to get magic.  They couldn’t let Teardrop have her magic, not after everything that she had done.  They would then conclude that she was too dangerous and lock her up far under the ground and never let her feel even the slightest flicker of the light, never see her sisters darling face, never feel her presence.  It would leave Vidia to fall further and further under the tinker’s shadow until she either disappeared or did something stupid.  

 

And Queen Clarion would watch it all with those pitying eyes.  She would blame Teardrop for what she had to do.  Ree would be sure to mention that Teardrop it was her fault, and Teardrop would say she wasn’t forcing her, and of course Ree would say that was exactly what she had done.  Because wasn’t that what the other fairy had claimed the last time she had locked Teardrop away to be forgotten.

 

So, Teardrop put her head down in her arms and cried.  She didn’t go to check to see if Tinkerbell was going insane in the darkness, she just sat there and cried.  Because that’s what she did at least once a week, just let all the hurt go until she was aching and practically dead to the world.  How else was she to live up to nickname?

 

It wasn’t until the sun was touching the horizon with a faint red glow that the gong sounded.  Teardrop looked up from her writing with a sigh.  She rubbed her face and felt the sting of salt stuck to her face.  She probably looked worse than usual.  Nice with red puff eyes and tear tracks down her cheeks.  Sniffling she opened the door demurely and walked down into the welcoming darkness, it’s cool fingers encompassing her body so that she was no more than a faint shadow.

 

“Oh, Teardrop, you came,” said Tinkerbell happily as she let go of the rope she seemed to be contemplating ringing again.  Teardrop allowed one eyebrow to rise.

 

“It’s really hard to miss that gong, I would wake up to it in a second, you don’t need to ring it twice,” said Teardrop and inwardly cursed.  She was stumbling all over herself, she didn’t want that.  Teardrop help out a hand and nodded when Tinkerbell took it cautiously, the smart mouthed fairy silent for, probably embarrassed.

 

“Did I?” was the soft question in the dark.  Teardrop chanced a quick look back at the glowing fairies golden bun.

 

“You’ll have to be more coherent than that,” the librarian told the tinker frankly and looked back to leading them out of dark.  Though perhaps she’d go back into it after she turned… well, clapped the lights off.

 

“When I rang the gong, did I wake you up?” asked the tinker shyly. “You looked a little scruffy when you came down.”

 

Teardrop stopped and Tinkerbell didn’t move an inch.  She turned abruptly, but the tinker kept a firm grip on her hand.  Teardrop looked down at their joined hands, and then at the tinker fairies frantic face.  It looked like she was contemplating permanently attaching herself to Teardrop so the dark fairy couldn’t leave her in the pit that was the archives.  She also looked hesitant to force her presence on Teardrop.

 

The librarian almost sighed in aggravation and submission.  At least the silly feather had the self-preservation skills needed to keep her alive.  That was to say that the tinker kept a firm grip on Teardrops lax hand.  Big blue eyes looked up and started searching.  After a second Teardrop figured out it was her that the other was looking for.  It hadn’t occurred to her for some reason, that even though Teardrop could see every feature of the young fairy because she did let loose a faint glow, but Tinkerbell couldn’t see her.  Looking at their hands it looked like Tinkerbell’s faint light that every fairy supposedly had only light her a little past her wrist.  It was odd; one had to pay attention to where her hand was because her skin was so dark it almost looked like the darkness.

 

“No,” said Teardrop finally. “I was working on recording the event this summer.”

 

“Oh, um, are you alright?” asked Tinkerbell softly.

 

“Don’t worry, I will am perfectly able to guide you and help your research.  My personal matters will not interfere,” said Teardrop, smirking when she felt the first step.  Soon the silly tinker would be home and she wouldn’t have to worry about her until the morning, and by then she should be back to her old self. 

 

“That’s not… I’m not asking because I-”

 

“That should be the only reason you ask,” said Teardrop sharply and practically threw Tinkerbell into the glow of the libraries night lights. She looked down on the tinker fairy as the fairy looked at her with desperation, as if trying to find the light hearted fairy she had met that morning.  Teardrop stood firm.  She was only that light hearted before she fell into her tears.  That person was gone the second she had remembered herself and her job.

 

The tinker left with a broken heart and bad posture.  Teardrop brushed a hand down her leaf wrap.  She didn’t need a friend, she knew better than to get close to fairies.  Plus, why would she want to have a fairy as a friend?  The only thing fairies should worry about is their talent and making sure they kept busy so that the seasons happened as they were supposed to, a fairy should be worried about their talent, not making friends.  She knew that, she also knew that it was nice to be able to be able to talk to the people a person worked with.

 

Teardrop just didn’t understand the need to go outside and make friends and connections outside a talent.   She especially didn’t understand the idea of making close connections.  The only person that she had any sort of close bonds with had been her sister was Sunshine.  She had only known that old crone because she was a lot like Tinkerbell, persistent, though in a more granny like fashion.  She was the only one who had made her pause before attacking, had been the one voice that had wondered and advised against rising against the queen.

 

Part of her had no regrets in her decision.  The queen at that time had not understood that all talents were equal and because of that put a lot of strain between the seasons and the different talents.  She needed to be overthrown, or at least replaced with someone better.  Because of Teardrop’s actions Ree had been made queen.  Even if Ree had betrayed her and enclosed her in this prison, she was a fair queen.  She appreciated every season, ever talent.  She was able to encourage her people and ran her kingdom with little trouble.

 

Of course Teardrop had been disappointed when she heard that Ree hadn’t done anything when Tinkerbell had ruined spring, but in the end it had worked out when Tinkerbell had shown her ability with tinkering and Mainland things.  Of course, Vidia had erred, but her punishment had been harsh and funny enough to make up for her error, and spring hadn’t actually been ruined by her, so Teardrop dismissed it. 

 

Still, it wouldn’t hurt to keep an ear open, maybe humor Tinkerbell and her quest long enough to get information about the various talents, perhaps some of her old fairies.  At least find out if they were still alive, because some part of her was curious to know the answer.  It wouldn’t take that long for Tinkerbell to realize that she was too tough an egg to crack.

 

And hopefully Vidia would arrive early the next morning so that she could spend a few hours with her friend.  Then she could deal with Tinkerbell in peace with hopefully only a little annoyance from the fast flying fairy. 

 

Teardrop clapped her hands together sharply twice and headed back down into the archives.  She just wanted the darkness to swallow her in one night, to hold her.  For once she wanted to feel completely safe.  As safe as she ever felt without her other half.

 


	5. How Evil?

Teardrop had hardly stretched awake when Vidia came barreling into the main part of the library, looking behind her like she thought something particularly intimidating was chasing her.  Teardrop bit back an amused snort.  One had to admire the fairies guts. 

 

“Ah, Teary, good, I think I was able to not be seen by the guards,” said Vidia, still looking vaguely paranoid.

 

“That’s not much of an accomplishment,” said Teardrop dryly, though she let her smirk show through.  Vidia turned back to Teardrop in shock, and then seemed to shrug the suddenly strong personality off.  Vidia was good at adjusting to her moods.

 

“Well, I guess someone doesn’t want the treats I brought over,” said Vidia with an evil smirk and holding up a green woven basket.  Teardrop practically drooled over the very idea of the much anticipated pie.

 

“No, no,” said Teardrop quickly running over only to be shielded away from the prize by a smirkingly playful fast flying fairy. “Come on, Vidia, I love your pie.”

 

A stricken look crossed Vidia’s face and horror crossed Teardrop’s.

 

“You did bring pie, right?” Teardrop knew she sounded like she was begging, she didn’t care.

 

“Um, no, I thought you could make it with the… they’re really not feeding you this time,” Vidia sounded disgusted with the idea.  Then a looked crossed over her face that had Teardrop’s alarm bells ringing at their loudest.

 

“No, no, you can’t let them know you’re here,” said Teardrop, shocking Vidia until the girl seemed to remember exactly what she would be losing if she took this to the queen and realized that if she was locked up she wouldn’t be able to perform and perfect her talent.  That’s what Teardrop liked about the other fairy; she was dedicated to her talent.  Though a little too dedicated at times, but that was easy to exploit so Teardrop wasn’t complaining for the time being.  Still, it would be nice to hear that Vidia had friends.  The dark fairy did acknowledge that having fairy contact did help take the sting out of life.  Company generally helped with nerves.  The way Vidia was already wound up, Teardrop would be surprised if that girl really did have her as a best friend.

 

“Right, well, maybe I should take an inventory of what you have and then start making sure you start getting it,” said Vidia testily. “Where do you sleep… do you sleep?  


“Yes, in that loft up there,” said Teardrop pointing in the general direction of her place and then made a go at Vidia’s basket. Even if it the fast flying fairy hadn’t brought pie she had brought something, and hopefully it was a tasty something. 

 

“You’ll squish them that way,” said Vidia flying and out of the dark fairies reach.  Teardrop pouted from the floor. “You have wings.”

 

“Yes,” said Teardrop and put a soft hand on her tatty blue wings. “But I don’t like flying in here and…”

 

“And what?” asked Vidia coming to land in front of the librarian.  Teardrop bit her lips and pulled back from the aching wing.  She looked at Vidia who was glaring softly at her wings. “What did you do to get your wings to look like that?”

 

“When I was younger an entire vat of tar was dumped on me, they got it off fast enough but wings are very delicate, they were – ruined the minute they were touched,” said Teary with a small sigh.

 

“But I’ve seen you fly,” said Vidia in confusion.

 

“I can still fly,” said Teary with a shrug and turned back toward her books. “It’s just not that comfortable.”

 

“Well, then it’s settled, I’ll get whatever you need and bring it next Friday with more goodies,” said Vidia dismissively.  She flew to the top of Teary’s loft and the dark fairy found herself rolling her eyes before following close behind. 

 

“What did you bring?” asked Teary ignoring the fact that Vidia was looking through her stuff and concentrating on the basket.  She cautiously lifted the lib of the basket and practically drooled at the contents.  A wide variety of muffins, all happily looking and scrunched into the tight space so that Teary knew she could would be eating better than she had in months with this much food.  It had been such a long time since she had muffins.  She then eagerly went to the small jug and opened it, hoping to get a whiff of the sweet dandelion milk.  Instead she sneezed when her nose was assaulted by something with a lot more tang.

 

“I always found that raspberry wine tastes best with my muffins,” said Vidia, her voice slightly muffled as she seemed to be looking for something under the covers on Teary’s hammock.  She surfaced with a gasp and looked over with a pensive glance. “Raspberry wine is pretty strong; I’d suggest watering it down a little.”

 

“Hm,” agreed Teary putting the drink down with slight wonder.  She’d never really had a chance to taste wine, nectar sure but never wine.  She definitely wasn’t going to let something besides water not be tested, even if it needed to be watered down so much she didn’t do anything stupid. “Perhaps you should be around when I drink this the first time… on second thought, you’d probably get me beyond drunk just to see what I’d do.”

 

“Of course not, I know how important that is to you,” said Vidia, but the slight glint in her eyes that told Teary the opposite. “So, I heard that Tinkerbell had her interview.”

 

“And..?” asked Teary looking back at the fast flying fairy who obviously trying to find away to word her next thought delicately.

 

“Well, it’s just… she defended you, and while I think it’s funny as hell that she seems to think that you’re some sort of saint, or at least a regular if slightly ‘strict’ fairy.  I was wondering what you told her to make her think that,” said Vidia, and Teary glanced at her with slight amusement. 

 

“You don’t approve,” asked Teary relaxing against her table and folding her hands.

 

“No, I think it’s great, that silly feather should really learn to listen to what people are trying to tell her,” said Vidia bitingly and then blanched. “Not that I think you should be locked up but…”

 

Now Teary tried to keep her face blank because she was torn between amusement and sadness.  Vidia obviously was not used to being friends with anyone.  Not if she made that many apologies when speaking to one.  That or Teary had underestimated how much the fairy feared her, but that wasn’t very likely.  Most fairies were bold, brass in their thinking until proven wrong.  Vidia struck her as someone who thought that she could take on any task and overtake it, even one that involved stopping a fairy who had brought Clarion, their queen, the closest to death that any other fairy could bring to another.

 

“Don’t worry about it Vidia I know what you mean,” said Teary and realized that her professional tone had put the other fairy on edge and let a small smile grace her lips. “Really I didn’t do anything to gain the silly tinkers trust.  I told her nothing, I trust that Fairy Mary filled her in… and that particular fairy would have had most fairies in front of me for an interview quaking in fear.  No, I think this particular fairy is going for the most basic of laws when learning about someone.  To not listen to rumors and to build her own opinion by her own experience.”

 

“That could have easily gotten her… not in a good place,” finished Vidia lamely.  Teardrop smirked.

 

“No, but she’s in luck, I have no intentions of harming her,” said Teary and reached in for a muffin.  Vidia found two glasses and poured hardly a trickle of raspberry wine in both.

 

“Is she coming back?” asked Vidia, as if that idea had just struck her and Teary answered with a small nod since her mouth was full. “That must be annoying.  I’d do something to get rid of her if she kept invading my space.”

 

“It’s not like we see much of each other,” shrugged Teary. “She comes in, we have a quick conversation, I take her somewhere to shut her up and she spends the rest of the time researching and I lead her out at night.”

 

“Still…” said Vidia, scrunching her nose at the thought of having to be at all close to the tinker.  Teary smirked into her wine.

 

“I will admit, having her here, while nice, can be a little nerve-wracking,” admitted Teary and went over to the closest shelf of books and slipped a small piece of paper in her hand. “That’s why I’ve made this.”

 

Vidia took the slip, glanced at the dried ink.  Squinted at it like that would help her understand the squiggles and gave it back to Teardrop with a shrug.

 

“What is it?”

 

“A library card.  This will allow Tinkerbell to take out up to five books and allow me a reprieve from having to deal with another fairy in my library every day,” said Teardrop with a shrug.

 

“You’re too nice, but I guess being stuck here probably has you wishing for any sort of company,” said Vidia with a slight sneer.

 

“Well, yes, but I do like my solitude,” said Teary and the two shared a few minutes of silence.  It was comfortable, the kind that usually took more time to grow into and more things to do to really make it seem necessary and not empty space.

 

“One, second, does that mean she’ll be returning today?” asked Vidia, her voice a little strangled.

 

“Don’t worry, as long as you’re gone before midday you’ll be fine.  She needs to get her work done before she…” but the door crashed open and Teary was glad the tinker fairy didn’t think to look up in her huff and quickly signaled Vidia out of her window.  She finally saw just how fast the other fairy was, and then returned her attention to the fuming fairy stomping around in her library and with a frown descended to the main level of the library.

 

“What’s all this racket about?” asked Teardrop severely making the tinker fairy first jump in surprise and then turn to her with a silly grasp on anger.

 

“Nothing,” said Tinkerbell, her tone warning Teardrop to drop it, but also encouraging her to find out exactly had her all worked up, because somehow the tinker’s problem was Teardrop’s fault.  Fairies, annoying creatures that seemed to excel on dragging other’s into their problems in the false belief they had some sort of right to demand questions.

 

“Right, that’s why you’ve come much sooner than your job should allow,” said Teardrop frowning at the fact the other fairy was obviously skirting her work to have a hissy fit.  And if this was something that had to happen, couldn’t the tinker done it on a day where Teardrop hadn’t actually been looking forward to seeing someone in her library? “And look about ready to rip all of my books out and cause a huge commotion when I told you that I wanted my library silent.”

 

“There, that right there,” shouted Tinkerbell, making Teardrop step back and blink at the other fairies fury. “Is that the reason they keep saying those things?  Is that the reason that no one seems to have anything good to say about you and seem to think that you’re, oh, I don’t know…  Did you tell them about the dark magic and not fully explain it?  Are you so strict that you’ve made enemies with everyone?  Because I keep being told to stay away from you and not even Vidia has that reputation and she’s no ray of sunshine!”

 

“You silly little thing,” said Teardrop her eyes widening with realization, and then narrowing at how stupid this little air headed tinker was. “You think that the reason people avoid the library, avoid me is because of my personality?”

 

“What else could it be?” demanded Tinkerbell getting in her face.  Teardrop looked at the other in angry disappointment.

 

“I don’t know, can you think of a reason you silly feather?” asked Teardrop walking toward the tinker fairy and forcing the other back. “Now, I’ll give you a clue.  You have been around fairies long enough to realize that they don’t normally take a person at face value.  You mentioned another fairy, Vidia, she has a horrible personality, but that doesn’t mean people tell other’s to stay clear of her, talk about her with a hint of fear.  Now, use that tinker brain to analyze this situation.  There is a fairy, basically locked in a room with a job that has hardly any value to any fairies.”

 

Tinkerbell looked ready to argue.

 

“No, at least at this moment, the written word, books… they haven’t been read by anyone but me since I entered this library.  The most that happens is a fairy will leave a book just inside the door, or a teaching fairy will take a book from the shelves closest to the door so they can learn to write and make a contributation to the library.  Now, think, what would a fairy have to do lose faith in all the fairies in Pixie Hollow.  To be locked away in this space with these rubies to stop her from even being able to use her talent.  That after one-hundred years she is still feared, still seen as some sort of mistake and menace that would be better off dead.”

 

Teardrop had cornered Tinkerbell into some shelves so that leather bond books were digging into the other fairies back.

 

“I am that fairy.  My name is something spoken of softly by those who knew me, and new fairies are cautioned against coming near this place.  A place that is constantly monitored, might I add, to make sure that I remain in this prison.  It’s been one hundred years!  The thing I did was so horrible that I will never be forgiven.  It’s so horrible that my sister, my other half, looks at me with disgust.  I can never make up for what I did.  Even if there was a chance I could do something to make up for it, they would be too terrified to let me out of here, to let me even taste magic again.  To feel the encompassing relief and happiness that comes from using my talent.

 

“Now, Tinkerbell, tell me, what do you think I could have done that was so horrible to receive this punishment, to receive this reputation?” asked Teardrop with a nasty smile.  Tinkerbell looked up at her as if seeing something doubled and unclear.  Like she couldn’t believe, couldn’t see any fairy being able to do something so horrible that some quick punishment couldn’t fix. 

 

Teardrop watched Tinkerbell dispassionately, her own anger leaving as fast as it came.  She had dealt with this reality for too long for it to really bother her anymore.  She took a stepped back from the stunned Tinkerbell and routed in the folds of her leaves until she found the library card and offered it toward the tinker.

 

“What’s this?” asked Tinkerbell shakily looking at the card.

 

“That will allow you to take up to five books out of the library and read in your study back at home,” said Teardrop professionally, and then clapped three times. Tinkerbell watched in off fascination as books flew through the library and around the central table until all but five had returned to their rightful place. “The books pay attention.  The five books there are chosen because of your past interest in certain subjects.”

 

“Oh”, said Tinkerbell still sounding a little stunned and out of sorts.  Teardrop wondered if she would have to slap the tinker to get her back in the real world, or if she could trust the fairy to have enough sense to get back to her knock where Fairy Mary would surely be able to bring her around.  Tinkerbell shock her head and started toward the pile. “Thank –“

 

The front doors burst open and acorn tops and bottoms and jumbles of kettles rolled onto the floor.  Teardrop found her anger once again making its way to the surface.  She quickly followed the three tinkers in helping to pick them off her floor.   The only kettle that should be in her library should be the one at her loft.  These tinkers were really trying her patients.

 

“Thanks,” said a thick male voice as she assembled the kettle effortlessly and returned it to him.  Not very sturdy make if it broke apart so easily. “Wow, you put that together really well, are you a tinker?”

 

Teardrop’s head sprang up and she found herself looking up at a large fairy with an honest smile.  She looked to the side and saw big goggles and desperate hair and her anger finally turned the deepest shade of red.

 

“Get out!” she shouted and gave a desperate flourish of her hands that had the cart and the three tinker fairies a good few inches out of the doors.  She pulled back and the door was slammed on their stunned faces.  Slowly she got her breathing under control, and cursed her stupidity.  She had just demonstrated her talent to cover the other slip when she had told Tinkerbell that she couldn’t use her talents, that she had no magic.  Now she really was screwed.  Stupid tinker, Teardrop should have made sure to scare her away after the first day.

 

Sighing Teardrop decided she might as well do her job until Ree came and locked her away in the ground.  As she sat down she noticed that the five books were gone.  The librarian wondered when the tinker had grabbed the books.  She also had to commend the girl on keeping her mind on the job enough to continue to do research on tinkering even after finding out about the dark fairy.  Not that Tinkerbell actually knew anything about her past, but with a few questions to the right people it wouldn’t be that hard to find out.

 

“What did you do?” asked Vidia sounding impressed.

 

“I hadn’t expected you back,” said Teardrop mechanically.  A soft hand clasped over her, stopping Teardrop from her writing and a steady hand forced her to look up from it.

 

“Well, from my hiding spot I saw three traumatized tinkers heading away from the library and back into their ditch,” said Vidia softly. “Now, why don’t you tell me exactly what happened?”

 

“Tinkerbell hadn’t been informed of exactly why people avoided me, so I made myself out to be as scary as possible,” shrugged Teardrop.

 

“You told you your past?” Teardrop caught a hint of jealousy in the other fairies voice.  The only thing that Vidia knew about her past was what she had picked up from other fairies and what Teardrop had accidently let slip.

 

“No, I asked a lot of questions in a roundabout sort of way that was supposed to inform her that the other fairies had a reason to avoid me,” said Teardrop and shook her head. “She took her books, though I think that she might at least have some sense when it comes to her talent and expanding on it.”

 

Vidia snorted and sent her a look that clearly disagreed.

 

“Are you kidding me, this is the same fairy who tried to change her talent because she couldn’t go to the Mainland,” said Vidia almost slowly.  Teardrop raised an eyebrow and flicked a clump her hair out of the way. “What’s that on your wrist?”

 

“Oh, this?” asked Teardrop and looked at the gold braid wound around her wrist and smiled slightly. “My sister gave this to me so that we would always be together.  It made the days we were both otherwise occupied much easier.”

 

“And you can’t go to her and have her convince the fairies that pirates are coming?  Because I’ve started dropping hints like usual and everyone keeps shrugging me off, one even suggested that I was just trying to take away Tinkerbell’s credit,” said Vidia bluntly and then shook her head. “It’d be easier if you just said sorry and then moved on.  I mean, you two are one, isn’t that how the legend goes?  That if a fairy calls another a sister she does so without even thinking about it, that they’re closer than friends, closer than lovers?”

 

“Yes, that is true,” said Teardrop watching Vidia’s face which still pensive.

 

“How do you know if you’re only one half of a soul?” asked Vidia finally and Teardrop smiled.

 

“You just do,” said Teardrop wrapping a hand around her wrist.

 

“So, she has to forgive you,” said Vidia logically, giving up trying to find out exactly how there could be only one half of a fairy. “If she doesn’t it’s like not forgiving herself.”

 

“She hasn’t,” said Teardrop and then shrugged at Vidia’s look. “I try to apologize and explain every time that she shows up; even when all she can bare to do is lean up against the library doors.  But I can’t say what she wants to hear.  She’ll know if I’m lying and I can’t say I regret one of the outcomes, and that’s what she wants, the only way she’ll open her eyes and realize that I wouldn’t do anything against Pixie Hollow again, that I support the current queen…”

 

“Queen Ree?” asked Vidia suddenly. “What would that have to do with anything?”

 

“Well, let’s just say that was part of the problem last time,” said Teardrop with a small smile.

 

“You led an uprising against Queen Clarion?” asked Vidia looking at Teardrop as if she had gone insane.  Teardrop smiled in amusement.

 

“No, but she was part of the raid that stopped me which is the reason Queen Bright handed the title after her death,” said Teardrop and then shrugged. “Plus, Ree is not more powerful than me.”

 

“And because you fought against her, she fears and hates you so much?” asked Vidia, Teardrop glanced with a small amount of amusement back at Vidia, she’d never seen the fast flying fairy so interested in something that wasn’t her quest to become the fastest fairy.

 

“No, my sister used to idolize Queen Bright, though to this day I could never understand why, and when I was locked away in here they decided she would be the one to decide when I would be released,” said Teardrop. “She won’t ever though; I’ve seen it in her eyes.  She will only accept one answer, and I can’t regret it, I won’t regret it.”

 

“But… if you lied?”

 

“She’d be able to tell,” said Teardrop feeling tears start to touch the side of her eyes. “She’s my other half, remember?”

 

“But – well, at least now I know why your hair is such a mess.  You don’t have a hairbrush,” said Vidia.  Teardrop looked up at the fast flying fairy sharply.  It took her a little longer then it should have to figure out that Vidia was changing the subject.

 

“I don’t care, I mean, who would I do it for?” asked Teardrop putting a hand on the nest that was her hair.

 

“Tinkerbell, me?” asked Vidia and then put a hand on the hair and grimaced.

 

“Tinkerbell probably isn’t coming back, and if she does she’ll get her books and scat,” said Teardrop logically. “And I don’t see you enough to go to all the trouble.”

 

“I’m coming to see you at least once a week,” pointed out Vidia with a disgusted look around the library.  Teardrop was sure that it wouldn’t take that much time for Vidia to grow bored of that and then they’d be back to Teardrop’s occasional visits, and the fast flying fairy perhaps dropping by when she got sick of being alone. “And why don’t you just do it for yourself, this must feel disgusting.”

 

“I’m used to it,” said Teardrop and shrugged, Vidia scrunched up her face and Teardrop smiled slightly.

 

“So, do you want a tour, or should we go break out your muffins and wine and get smashed beyond all belief?” asked Teardrop teasingly. It only took a second for Vidia to make up her own plan of actions.

 

“Let’s give this rat hole at least a little personal touch,” and with that the rest of the day was spent doing a bit of housekeeping and making the library almost looked lived in.

 

\--

 

Tinkerbell walked down in silence with the other two tinkers, with Bobble looking the most disturb of the two even though Clank was the one who had been yelled at.  Tinkerbell wasn’t sure what had just happened.  She had seen it, that fury, that hurt and betrayal as Teardrop had tried to scare her away.  She had watched when it left like it wasn’t there and standing before her was the calm librarian that she had grown to know.

 

It wasn’t something that she could understand.  How could the fairy stand there and call herself evil?  What could she have done that was so horrible to lock her away?  She couldn’t even begin to start imaging what she could have.  Obviously something worse than the trick that Vidia had played on her.  But what?  Had she actually – had she actually hurt someone, maybe dumped tar on someone or something?  But, as awful as that was, how was stuffing her in that cold and lonely library making the situation better?  They should have given her a useful task, not just shoved her away and left her to… die. That was just cruel.  But Teardrop had also said she was feared.  But anyone had the means to dump tar on someone, that didn’t mean they did, didn’t mean they wouldn’t. 

 

“Hey, Tinkerbell what’s wrong?” Tinkerbell was amazed when all her close friends came and surrounded her. 

 

“We came back from the library,” said Bobble despairingly.

 

“Oh, dear, are you alright?” asked Rosetta, her attention on Bobble.  Tinkerbell was allowed to fume over the accusation until she remembered what Teardrop had done and then sent her own depressed glance at the five books in the cart.

 

“Hey there dewdrop,” said Silvermist calmingly catching Tinkerbell’s chin and forcing her to look up at the water talent. “You’re not defending her like you usually do.  Did something happen?”

 

“What did that brute do?” demanded Rosetta, angry that the two fairies hurt weren’t telling her what was wrong. 

 

“Nothing, well, nothing much,” said Tinkerbell with a shrug. “She said some stuff; no, she asked some pointed questions and then after Bobble and Clank spilled tinker things all over her floor threw us out.”

 

“What did she say?” asked Rosetta, her eyes suspicious, Tinkerbell sighed but decided to tell her friend, Rosetta was just trying to help after all.  

 

“Just, asked what could make fairies lock up another one, what could make every fairy fear her,” said Tinkerbell and then shook her head. “I think she was trying to scare me away without actually having to tell me what she did to get locked in there.”

 

“She tried to scare you away?” asked Rosetta in shock. “Well, I guess she’s used to her solitude and doesn’t want to have to work with a lowly tinker fairy.”

 

“What do you mean?” asked Tinkerbell her face heating up with slight anger.

 

“Well, I mean she must think she’s better than everyone else,” said Rosetta, obviously thrown off that Tinkerbell was still sticking up for the dark fairy.

 

“No, she’s just reserved and a little obsessive about fairies doing their respective jobs, I think, she just, she looked so desperate for company sometimes, before she’d close up once she couldn’t find the words or thought she was going to be abandoned,” explained Tinkerbell.  Rosetta tried to correct her.

 

“Hey, Bobble, you alright?” asked Fawn.  Tinkerbell looked over to see that Bobble still looked heartbroken.

 

“Yeah, it’s just… I never thought I’d see her again,” Bobble almost sounded haunted.  Rosetta’s face quickly sounded recognition and then sympathy.

 

“That’s right, you were one of the fairies that she welcomed to Pixie Hollow,” said Rosetta almost softly.  

 

“What does that mean?” asked Clank scratching his head in confusion.

 

“Phineas T. Kettletree, Esquire,” said Bobble, still lost in his thoughts. “That’s what she called me.  She knew it was my name and then she seemed to consider it for a moment before laughing, and called me Bobble.”

 

“It’s something that happens to most of them,” said Rosetta losing interest in Bobble’s plight though hidden in her slight scowl was a hint of worry.

 

“That doesn’t tell me anything,” complained Clank stomping his foot.

 

“When I was born Teardrop was the one who welcomed me in.  She was the one to open my wings and help me find my talent,” said Bobble sighed.

 

“What about Queen Clarion?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“She wasn’t queen yet,” said Rosetta matter of factly and shrugged. “She was still dividing her time between being a dust and light fairy.”

 

“She has two talents?” asked Clank. “I didn’t think that existed.”

 

“It doesn’t happen very often,” said Rosetta in agreement.

 

“What is Teardrop’s talent?” asked Tinkerbell.  The two who had known looked at each other and shrugged.

 

“Well, she can’t be just someone who welcomes in fairies,” said Silvermist. “I mean that’s not a talent.”

 

“I don’t know,” said Rosetta and then frowned. “All I know is that one day maybe two months after they were born the skies turned black.  Fairies were either forced into hiding or went out to fight.  Not a day later we were told that Queen Bright was dead and that we had a new queen.”

 

“She killed a fairy?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“No, fairies can’t kill each other,” said Fawn with confusion but conviction.

 

“All I know is that it happened just at the time when Teardrop tried to take over Pixie Hollow,” said Rosetta scrunching her nose. “I know that Queen Clarion is a strong leader and had to be drenched in pixie dust to heal her, Queen Bright died, and Queen Ree, who has a forgiving soul won’t let Teardrop out of that library and warns every fairy against going in there.”

 

“Maybe it was…” said Tinkerbell, trying to think of something that would explain everything but not say that Teardrop was a murderer.  For one thing she really didn’t want to think about the possibility of her being around a murderer, but also she couldn’t see that sort of malice in Teardrop’s eyes.  She didn’t look capable of it.

 

“No, there is no mistaking it.  You don’t understand.  Teardrop was at least at fault for almost permanently crippling Clarion, I have – had friends who fought against her.  Who watched her try to overthrow Pixie Hollow and destroy it,” said Rosetta and then sighed. “Believe me, if Queen Clarion thought there was any chance that Teardrop was redeemable she would have found away.”

 

“How do you know?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Flower,” said Rosetta testily. “Drop it and do us all a favor and don’t go back there.”

 

“I have to go back eventually,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“Why?” asked Rosetta with a withering glare.  Tinkerbell took out of the cart and a book.

 

“You stole a book?” asked Fawn, taking it and lifting it in confusion.

 

“What is a book exactly?” asked Iridessa taking the thing and giving it a quick glance over.

 

“It’s something that  has information… like important times in Pixie Hollow and information on talents, that sort of thing,” said Tinkerbell. 

 

“It doesn’t have any pictures like the teaching fairies,” said Fawn leafing through the book herself.

 

“No, but those squiggles are our language in ink,” said Tinkerbell with an excited smile.  She loved Mainland things after all.

 

“Don’t you get it!” shouted Rosetta finally losing her cool. “That fairy is the closest thing you’ll get to evil besides tar.  She’s like tar… She had to be contained and stretched out so that she dried out and becomes harmless.  Going to her is like adding more ink, you’re just adding to her, you’re making her dangerous again and the longer you let her rest on you the more she eats away at you and destroys you.  You can’t go back.”

 

“I’ll think about it,” said Tinkerbell finally, taking her book back from Fawn.

 

“What?” asked Rosetta.

 

“I said I’ll think about it.  But I will have to return this book to her at some point,” Tinkerbell was surprised at how dead she sounded to her own ears.

 

“No, you give it to Fairy Mary or one of the teaching fairies who have to hand in their work after they are done,” said Rosetta putting her foot down on the issue. 

 

“I’ll think about it,” said Tinkerbell strongly. “But I don’t think that she is capable of murdering anyone, at least not now.”

 

“Tinkerbell…” said Rosetta warningly.

 

“I can take care of myself,” said Tinkerbell and turned away from garden fairy.  Emotions flashed across the red fairies face, and then she clenched her fists and looked away.

 

“You’ll see,” and Rosetta was gone with Fawn trailing frantically after her. 

 

“Tinkerbell,” said Silvermist softly.

 

“Come on Clank, Bobble, we have work,” said Tinkerbell ignoring the water talent. “Go cheese.”

 

Silvermist watched her go, hugging herself softly and thinking the worse.  Finally she slipped into a nearby stream.  Rosetta would eventually cool off, and hopefully Tinkerbell would listen to the girl.  Silvermist knew Rosetta long enough to know how serious the garden fairy was.  She wasn’t so much angry at Tinkerbell as scared for her safety.  Silvermist didn’t know much of a library; she never had any interest in learning to read.  But that didn’t mean she hadn’t heard the rumors, hadn’t been warned against never going in there.  Now her heart was torn.  She knew that nothing good could come of visiting Teardrop, but the way Tinkerbell was always protecting her wanted to make her want to meet the fairy that no matter how many times Teardrop was rude to Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell kept coming back and the worse thing she could say was she was strict.  But, for now she’d work, because working with water had always been what she enjoyed doing.

 


	6. Lonely

Vidia flew into her home in a slight huff.  She didn’t really feel like being outside and doing her job that day.  She didn’t feel like pushing herself and becoming steadily faster and faster until she could zip circles around any fairy and sometimes did just show off.  The wind blowing against her face and trying to slow her down by pushing against her shoulders and tugging at her clothes.  The great satisfaction she gained by not only pressing forward but using that opposing force to go faster until the world was a blur and she became invincible.

 

At that moment she just wanted to fall on her bed and scream away her frustration, or at least wake up and find out spring was still in the making and that no meddling Tinkerbell had ever been born and dragged her name through the mud.

 

“At least you didn’t hurt yourself this time,” said that soft melancholy voice that had Vidia jumping in the air since she had already been strung tight.

 

“Teary, what are you doing here?” asked Vidia.  Teary looked up from her spot on Vidia’s bed.  She almost looked like a child, her eyes large, and her hand grasped at a brush that lightly touched her knotted hair. 

 

“I got lonely,” it was said quickly without a change in her emotions but it had Vidia at her level in a second. 

 

“You never got lonely before,” said Vidia. “There is no way this is going through that mess.  I don’t even know if my comb can.”

 

“I didn’t even remember what it was like to be alone until Tinkerbell started showing up,” said Teary.

 

“What am I, chopped roots?” asked Vidia rooting around in her drawers for the comb.

 

“No, but I only ever saw you for a couple hours at a time and could slowly dissociate with you,” said Teary and brought up her knees to rest on.  Vidia decided she also needed water. “She only came for a short period of time, but even though I couldn’t see her she was there, and the library seems silent without her in it.”

 

“See,” said Vidia sitting next to her friend and putting the glass of water on the night stand. “Tinkerbell is a menace.”

 

“Possibly, but at least she’s doing her job,” said Teary and Vidia’s hand stopped just short of Teary’s hair.

 

“The reason I’m not there is because I’m just a bit… I need to a break to settle my senses,” said Vidia with a shake of her head.

 

“Hey, spring is your season isn’t it?  This is your off season… well, seasons,” said Teary with a small smile. “Ow.”

 

“Unless you want to be here for the whole of the next season we’re going to have trim this mop before we get to the salvageable part,” said Vidia standing up to get said scissors.  Teary wasn’t even watching her, her gaze far away from the wall she was staring at. “And I didn’t get to go help spring because of finding those sprinting thistles.”

 

Vidia glanced back at Teary to find calm light brown eyes staring back at her.  At least she now had the powerful fairies attention.

 

“Ah, yes, your punishment, I had almost forgotten,” said Teary, her voice still lost in space. “You weren’t allowed to go to the Mainland at all?”

 

“No, I made it to the Mainland quite a few times.  I mean, I am a rare talent and I do play an important role in spring,” said Vidia, clenching the scissors roughly in her hands. “They just kept sending me back to Pixie Hollow to catch those bloody things.  They would do it with those stupid smirks too.  Like they were glad I was getting punished and that someone was finally able to get under my skin.”

 

“You think they should love you?” asked Teary with slight scorn in her interest.

 

“No, but, I mean, it’s like they knew that you were the one who gave me those warnings and were glad that I was getting in trouble as recompense,” said Vidia. “I guess I kind of wished that because I did give them warnings all that time they would at least do more than just tolerate me.”

 

“Fairies can be petty and allot suffer from short term memory loss, I’m positive,” said Teary making a face. “Plus, even though you’re a little to set on your flying and have a bit of a superiority complex problem…”

 

Vidia stuck her tongue out and Teary just giggled.

 

“You’re a good person,” said Teary and smiled. “And I think that the fact you’re so set on your goals is admirable.”

 

“Of course,” scoffed Vidia over the soft slicing of the scissors, she paused before continuing on. “Why are you so different when you come to visit me?  I mean, in the library you were almost a completely different fairy, like you were in control, strong as your talent.”

 

“I know what to do there,” said Teary with a pleased smile. “I know the library and that it’s my domain.  I’m allowed there and so is anyone who wants to come in.  That’s why at times I’ll seem to detach.  I like working, I like to have that professional feeling.  I like knowing I’m in my element.”

 

“But, you weren’t working when I was there,” said Vidia.

 

“But the library was there, if anything happened I had a system to fall back on,” said Teary and then smiled up at the girl. “I know what to do even if everything seems to going up in smoke, because it’s my job, it’s my place and it works with my talent.  This – talking to someone and purposely going against one of the rules and having to rely on someone and not myself puts me off and makes me uncomfortable.  I mean, being a friendly good with people fairy, isn’t a talent, it’s a skill; and if there’s one thing I’m horrible at its skills.”

 

“I hang out with you,” said Vidia with a chuckle.

 

“But that’s only because you know power when you see it.  If I hadn’t been pulsing with it when you saw me you wouldn’t have given me the time of day.  No, don’t look away, that’s just the way you are, doesn’t make you any less of a fairy.  Fast flying fairies are lucky and – unlucky in that way.  They can separate themselves from a situation, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less of fairies it means that their jobs usually has them working individually, never sticking with just one talent, but working in tandem with them and the seasons,” said Teary with a nod of her head that had the other fairy with the scissors glare at the girl.

 

“Unless you want to end up bald you will hold still,” said Vidia tugging at Teary’s hair. “Plus, you’d think that would make me better at making friends, that I’d have them all over Pixie Hollow instead of one.”

 

“No, in my experience that is really rare.  Ree was like that.  She could make quick friends with every and all talents,” said Teary biting her nail, her eyes once again glazed over. “But she was a natural leader, that’s the reason she’s the queen now.  In most cases when a fairy has a job that has them only with minimal contact with their own and has them flying from season to season, that fairy learns, almost as a defense mechanism to be very self-centered.  That ‘bad character trait’ is capitalized on.”

 

“In your experience?” asked Vidia with a dismissive laugh.

 

“I’m old, I hear things eventually, I read autobiographies, a lot done by those same lonely fairies,” said Teary with conviction.  Vidia dipped her comb and started on the tangles, this might be salvageable.

 

“I’m not lonely,” said Vidia with an unnecessary tug.

 

“Of course not,” said Teary agreeably.  They lapsed into silence.  Vidia concentrated on brushing out the hair in front of her so that she wouldn’t have to make Teary bald.  It wouldn’t do any good to try and fix her if the fast flying fairy just made her look worse.

 

“Why did you decide to fix up your look, or at least your hair?” asked Vidia, smirking at her victory over the knots and finally making sense of the dark fairies hair.

 

“Because, I want to look my best if she comes back,” said Teary and Vidia paused in her brushing.

 

“Tinkerbell?  I thought you were trying to drive her away,” said Vidia, she couldn’t quite place her tone, but it was definitely anything but happy. 

 

“No, I wanted to warn her what she was getting herself into, if she returns after that it’s her choose,” said Teary with a shrug and a light tone.

 

“So this is all just for her,” she tugged and Teary’s head flew back and she caught tears on her corners of Teary’s eyes before the dark fairy dragged her head back to look at the opposite wall that apparently either painted a picture of the past or had all the answers. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s alright, and it’s not that it’s specifically for her, it’s for whoever comes in.  I don’t want them to call me crazy and not come back because of that.  I think I like the idea of them trying to make up their own opinions about me, gives me more of a fighting chance to have them around me.  I miss feeling like there are others like me, I miss knowing that the other half of me exists and isn’t just something that exists solely in my own mind,” said Teary softly. “But it’s nice to know that I can make you jealous.”

 

“I’m not jealous,” spluttered Vidia. Teary smiled easily up at her.

 

“What day is it anyway?”

 

“Wednesday,” said Vidia and put the scissors and comb to the side to admire her handiwork.

 

“Really?  Wow, if I’d only waited two more days,” said Teary with a small laugh.

 

“Well, I’m glad you visited,” said Vidia trying to sound no nonsense and keep the blush at bay as she walked over to her kitchen to get some snacks. “It was nice to come and get my mind off my troubles for a little bit.”

 

“What else are friends for?” asked Teary going over to Vidia’s dressing room mirror to check her hair.  She pushed at the small chestnut curls that twirled lazily against her head.

 

“Sorry, I couldn’t get it any longer without being uneven,” said Vidia.

 

“That’s alright,” said Teary running a hand through her hair and then shaking it with a small giggle.  She turned to Vidia and picked up a sunflower seed and started nibbling at it.  Vidia was pleased to see that she wasn’t eating it madly like a starved person but at a leisurely pace. “I think I like it this length. So, what is wrong?  The whole thistle thing was over a week ago at least, so what has you all up in arms now?”

 

Vidia frowned at the dark fairy who had suddenly found her food fascinating.  The strangest thing was that she actually made the gesture believable.

 

“It’s your fault you know,” said Vidia.  Teary glanced up at her, the tops of her bangs almost hiding her eyes. “I wouldn’t have to deal with this if you hadn’t told me about the pirates.  Then I could ignore the looks and giggles.”

 

Vidia shot a glare at Teary as the dark fairy snorted in disbelief.

 

“But, they’re not listening, no matter how much evidence I put in front of them they don’t get it, and when I do suggest something they just think that I’m searching for a way to put the spotlight back on me,” said Vidia with a sneer. “They said the same thing I did, that it isn’t possible, they don’t even really let me start suggesting it might be pirates from the Mainland before they just leave.”

 

“Have you tried the queen?” asked Teary, Vidia snorted.

 

“Have you?” and they were at a stalemate.  Teary sighed and looked at Vidia who was biting her bottom lip in anger.

 

“You know, sometimes it’s just easier to cry,” said Teary softly.  Vidia snapped her head at Teary to glare.  But the dark fairy was being sincere. For some reason Teary had always been able to express her emotions, especially when she was upset.

 

“I don’t cry,” said Vidia dryly taking a violent bite of her sunflower seed. “But I do get even.  What’s the best way to quietly take out a fairy?”

 

“You mean kill?” asked Teary and Vidia nodded.

 

“I think taking care of Tinkerbell would be very therapeutic,” said Vidia logically. “So, any suggestions?” 

 

Teary laughed at her.

 

“Fairies can’t kill other fairies,” said Teary between giggles and then shook her head strongly at Vidia’s skeptical eyebrow. “Nope, simply can’t be done, only human’s can, and then you never know which one of us is going to drop dead.”

 

Vidia half glared and pouted at the dark fairy who still looked slightly amused that Vidia thought she’d actually be able to kill a fairy.  Fairies and their silly rumors.  Vidia’s concentration then was captured by Teary’s… attire.

 

“You know, your hair looks good now, but that leaf… if that doesn’t scream unstable I don’t know what does,” said Vidia in slight disgust.  Teary glanced uninterestedly down at her leaf.

 

“I don’t have the materials to do anything but this.  I mean, I guess I can make it more of a wrap, but I’d need thread to make sure it didn’t slip,” said Teary and then shrugged.  It was obvious she’d thought about it before, the leaf probably wasn’t that comfortable or practical.

 

“You could have some of my clothes, I have a few extra outfits I wouldn’t miss,” said Vidia, Teary just snorted.

 

“You’re taller than most fairies, I’ll give you that, but I doubt that your clothes would fit me, at best they’d be tighter than a corset,” said Teary with a laugh when Vidia looked at her in confusion. “Never mind, it wouldn’t fit.”

 

“Well, I could always make a design for you and take your measurements to the tailor,” said Vidia.

 

“Really?  Are you any good at designing clothes?  Won’t the tailor be suspicious?” asked Teary seriously.

 

“I designed my own clothes, I’m no tailor fairy, but I do like to doodle every now and again,” said Vidia with a confident smirk. “And as long as I don’t go to Gertrude it should be fine.”

 

“Thanks Vidia,” said Teary with a child-like smile. “So you’ll bring the designs on Friday?”

 

“I’ll be there with more goodies and company,” said Vidia with a slight nod.  They spent the rest of the day switching between silence and conversations of no real consequence.  It was long past dark when Teary finally left to sneak back into her library.  Where, as she was working on the archives she once again rested her eyes in the darkness, just for a second before she would go back to work and was dragged mercilessly into a deep sleep.

 

\---

 

The grass blew lazily in the winds, large blades bending nearly in half under its caress.  She could understand why Vidia didn’t want to work.  Actually, that whole situation was odd.  She couldn’t help but think that Vidia had been a little to frustrated for pirates to be coming.  Plus, the other fairies had a point, they were protected from the pirates by the Lost Boys, and any coming from the Mainland would sail into the pirate’s cove, not to their shores.

 

“The winds are killer,” said Rosetta flying up next to Tinkerbell.  The tinker fairy rolled her eyes; the other fairy had gone from avoiding her to suddenly being attached to her side.  This would have been okay, if Rosetta hadn’t decided that since she was the one doing a favor to Tinkerbell, the other needed to follow her around all day.  So Rosetta had tied them together with some vine that Tinkerbell couldn’t break or untie and then the stronger garden fairy preceded to take her away from her tinkering and to her own jobs.

 

“I’m not going to the library today,” said Tinkerbell, purposely making herself a deadweight so that they crashed to the ground.  The pain was worth the irritated glare that Rosetta sent her.

 

“You’re not going back ever,” snapped Rosetta, standing up and starting to drag Tinkerbell as the other refused to get her feet or wings under her and follow the garden fairy willingly anymore.

 

“I’ve read the five books…”

 

“So you give them to a teacher fairy to return discretely,” said Rosetta, the pattern to their argument already set up.

 

“And I really want to explore one of the old designs, but the one I wanted I found in the general index, so I was hoping to either get a book about the inventions of that time, or maybe a book dedicated to invention of that nature,” said Tinkerbell, who finally stood and let her friend drag her behind her. 

 

“Then go to a teacher fairy who specializes in tinker history,” said Rosetta. “They’ll probably tell you everything you want to know.”

 

“But they won’t know, some of those books were older than Queen Clarion, older than you.  They really know what they’re talking about, and understand,” said Tinkerbell. “I mean, teaching fairies and great and all, they explain everything and make sense of the world and really get the point across, but they don’t really understand.  They can’t go and create, maybe follow directions, but the books I want are by the inventors.  There’s something about reading what the author has to say, to read how they worked through it and finally came up with the final invention and then to expand and all the inventions that that first made possible.”

 

“Tinker’s,” muttered Rosetta and smiled down at her bulbs. “Teacher fairies would explain it better.”

 

“Yeah, they probably would,” agreed Tinkerbell. “But reading the inventors version makes it seem like there are infinite amount of possibilities and that they choose to take it in only one of those ways.  It makes it easier to add Lost Things and newer mechanics to the old one, or vice-versa.”

 

The two fairies just stared at each other.  Tinkerbell was sure she was getting through to the garden fairy.

 

“If it’ll make you happy I’ll stop trying to get Teardrop to open up,” said Tinkerbell, lying, but she thought she sounded convincing.  Rosetta snorted and sent a look to Tinkerbell that told the tinker that she knew her friend better than that.

 

“No, a few books aren’t worth going near that fairy, and until then I’ll keep you on this leash,” said Rosetta.

 

“What about sleeping, what about my work?” demanded Tinkerbell.

 

“I have enough space,” said Rosetta with a shrug, and smiling down at a peak of something starting to grow and silently coaxing it to start really growing. “And it’s still a few months until the end of summer, in fact, summer just started, and the only time tinkers will be really busy is the few months before it begins.”

 

“Yeah, and you have seasons to prepare for spring,” countered Tinkerbell hotly.

 

“My garden needs constant supervision, sure this is the down season, but these babies wouldn’t be able to flourish without me,” said Rosetta talking babishly to the growing flower.

 

“And what about tinkers, you think we don’t have our own jobs on our ‘down time?’” said Tinkerbell folding her hands and trying to glare.

 

“Hey, I work with living breathing things that depend on my constant supervision,” bit back Rosetta, Tinkerbell huffed and tried to figure out why so many fairies so easily discounted tinker fairies.

 

“Yeah, well, our work during the down hardly goes down at all.  We might not work with breathing things that able to grow or make themselves, but we work with intricate machines that after a while seem to build up a like and even personality of their own.  They need maintenance.  We need to go over every pulley, cog, nail, and spring to make sure it’s still in good working over.  We go back and properly fix every cart and fraying rope that only got a quick patch job and properly fix it so it doesn’t come crashing down on us like it’s been threatening,” said Tinkerbell and then paused to get a breath. “And after that work, while also starting to supply the autumn fairies.”

 

“Well, that’s the tinker moto isn’t it, that being a tinker is never a bore, or something as corny as that,” said Rosetta, Tinkerbell could already feel her face starting to turn an angry red.

 

“Fawn!” was the only frantic warning they got before something crashed on top of Rosetta.  Tinkerbell was caught between being horrified, collapsing into laughter, and actually helping the now squished Rosetta.

 

“What is it with fairies just deciding to drop out of the sky and land on me?” grumbled Rosetta pushing the fairy off her in a huff.  She stood up and turned to scold the fairy to find Tinkerbell was already over the still fairy trying to wake her up.

 

“Come on Fawn, just open your eyes,” said Tinkerbell shaking the animal talents shoulder softly.

 

“She’s not breathing,” whispered Rosetta with wide eyes as Iridessa came flying down.

 

“What but she’s… oh no,” Iridessa hovered madly and Tinkerbell froze at the sight.  Fawn was… fading. Her skin starting to become see through. “No, no, nothing was happening, she was fine and then she just… fell.”

 

“It never makes any sense,” said Rosetta. “One minute we’ll happily flying along and the next one of you is dead.  Strong, weak, young, old, it doesn’t matter, it finds us and doesn’t care whether if you’re at the top of your game or down, it just finds us.  It isn’t fair or go by any rules we know.  It doesn’t even go from the oldest or I would have faded away long ago.”

 

“What are you guys talking about, we have to help her!” shouted Tinkerbell feeling that every second Fawn was disappearing, not just her body, but her soul.

 

“Oh, sunshine,” said Iridessa with tears in her eyes. “There’s noth…”

 

Fawn’s body convulsed and the animal talent drew in a frantic breath. 

 

“Fawn!” shouted Iridessa and pulled Fawn so hard and long that the animal talent started turning blue from loss of air and making funny choking sounds. “Sorry.”

 

“Are you alright peach blossom?” Rosetta asked reaching out her hand but not actually touching the other fairy.

 

“Yeah, I – I think so,” said Fawn shakily.

 

“What happened?” asked Tinkerbell, still in the dark and freaked out.

 

“I, I think I almost died,” said Fawn and then shivered.

 

“What, but… Iridessa said that you had seemed fine,” said Tinkerbell, or maybe she’d heard it wrong.

 

“That’s how it works,” said Rosetta making the rest of the fairies look her way and the girl shrugged. “One second a fairy will be on top of their game, and next she’ll be gone. It’s just the way it works.”

 

“But – Fawn is still here,” said Tinkerbell.  This didn’t make sense, how could a fairy just be gone?

 

“It sometimes happens,” shrugged Rosetta and then cringed under Iridessa and Tinkerbell’s glares that told her that she sounded cruel.  This was Fawn, a friend she’d had for years.

 

“Look, no one really understands how this happens and what makes fairies drop dead.  The Indian’s and Lost Boys know, but they haven’t told us, afraid of what it’d mean,” said Rosetta.

 

“It was like my purpose was over, like whatever had given me life had forgotten about me, forgotten my… existence,” said Fawn hauntingly.

 

“Fawn, you don’t have to…” but Fawn turned her far gazing eyes away from Iridessa, she had to.

 

“But then, there was a sound, skin hitting skin and a small human child crying out and giving me reason and giving me back my existence,” said Fawn and then looked at Tinkerbell. “That’s what it was like.  Do you… do you think that one of Teardrop’s books will explain to me what happened?”

 

“Oh, petunia, you really don’t want to know,” said Rosetta softly.

 

“Yes I do,” said Fawn, her voice almost rising to a shout. “What makes you think I wouldn’t?  What makes you the expert?  You haven’t been this close, so helpless, felt so… useless.”

 

“No, maybe not,” said Rosetta seriously and then flicked her hair over one shoulder. “Doesn’t mean I haven’t had friends who went looking and found the answer, doesn’t mean that I pried when they told me that I really didn’t want to know.”

 

“Yeah, then why not send me to those friends of yours so that either they’ll tell me off or give me the answer?” asked Fawn with a deep friend.

 

“Because they’re all gone,” snapped Rosetta. “They all found the answer and all it did for them make them depressed for a week.  In the end they were still gone.  I still watched Gretchen fade away.  I still woke one day to only find Heather was gone and all that was left was a cattail puff and some pixie dust.  It didn’t do anything for them; the knowledge didn’t stop them from disappearing without a proper goodbye, and it didn’t even make it easier for them.  They started to dread death when it became clear to them it had no rhyme or reason, they still died with regrets.”

 

“I want to know,” said Fawn strongly, but she looked away. “Maybe… maybe if you…”

 

“You want me to go see that heathen?” demanded Rosetta and then looked away.

 

“It really does sound interesting -- those books,” said Iridessa a little excitedly. “I could go with Tinkerbell tomorrow.  I wanted to go see something on Ulra, you know see how different fact is from the stories we’re told, and I really don’t have that work tomorrow… I could look it up for you.”

 

“What?” asked Rosetta sharply. “Are all of you deaf and stupid?  I told you already that going to see Teardrop is like slowly dripping tar on yourself and letting it eat at you… none of you are going to listen to my warning are you?”

 

“We just… she hasn’t hurt Tinkerbell; she didn’t even try to lie to her.  She has information,” said Iridessa.

 

“Fine,” said Rosetta angrily standing up and turning away from her friends. “But when you three go tomorrow you better not forget me.”

 

“Forget you?” asked Iridessa.

 

“I’m going with all of you tomorrow.  Someone of sense needs to be there to make sure that Teardrop doesn’t take advantage of you guys,” said Rosetta still facing away.

 

“Are you sure?  You really sound like you dislike Teardrop,” said Iridessa.

 

“Yes, I’m sure,” snapped Rosetta and sighed, her shoulders slumping in some sort of submission and glancing to the side so she could only see Fawn. “I’ll find out the answer, what it is that kills fairies.”

 

“But Rosetta,” said Tinkerbell and then quelled under the glare the garden fairy sent her way. 

 

“We’re not forcing you,” said Iridessa grumpily and then shrunk under her own words.

 

“No, but I’m taking on what has to be done.  You can’t just be allowed to wander,” said Rosetta. “You might not know it, but I think I’ve…”

 

“Don’t feel obligated,” said Fawn pushing herself up and eyes already searching for an animal in need.

 

“I don’t,” said Rosetta making Fawn pause. “It’s about the time I learned the answer, it’s about time I started getting ready.”

 

“Rosetta, you can’t mean it,” said Iridessa.

 

“I have lived to see every friend I started out with disappear,” said Rosetta and then choked a little. “I know that our deaths are random and while some live over one hundred years and some only last barely a week.  But my luck has to run out eventually, and something tells me it might be soon, and as much as I think that just accepting might be easier.  To not know what it is that ends a fairies life, I also need to know, I need to follow that path, and at the moment the only one who knows that answer is Teardrop and her books.”

 

“You’re not going anywhere,” said Tinkerbell putting a reassuring hand on her friends shoulder.

 

“Actually I think I’m going to let you go,” she easily undid the knot that tied her and Tinkerbell together. “And now I have some flowers to cheer and you probably have some tinkering you’d planned to do. I’ll see you and Iridessa at the big red tulip at the path to the library tomorrow morning.  I better not see you there Fawn, I’ll be looking for you later either to tell you how it happens or tell you don’t want to know.”

 

And Rosetta left, none of her friends tried to stop her, just watched the fairy in what seemed a death march.  The wind blew hard once and in a single blink Rosetta was out of sight.

 

“I sometimes forget how old she really is,” said Fawn looking in the direction of her friend.

 

“I’ve met a few people half as old as her,” said Iriessa rubbing her palms nervously. “And they… they’re completely dedicated to their work.  Sometimes… sometimes they seem to think that since I worry so much about detail and getting it right that I’m someone to confide to associate with but not actually become attached to.  They’ll tell me stories about fairies long since past. 

 

“I once asked them why they never really got to know me.  Ginger said it was because they didn’t dare.  They all friends who just stopped being.  Lupin was the worse, the sparrow man made friends with three fairies in a row that lasted hardly a month.  He doesn’t dare get closer, just immerses himself in the thing that constant for him – the seasons.  They say it’s hard to lose friend after friend, that it would have been easier if they could just say they drifted apart.”

 

“But you can’t just give up,” said Tinkerbell. “Well, I really need to go back.”

 

“Tinkerbell,” the tinker fairy stopped and moved her head back. “Even if… even if our lives seem to end so abruptly.  Most of us live full lives.  Long enough to lose friends, but short enough that we don’t regret seeing their passing, not really.  For fairies like Rosetta, they envy us our youth because they want to die but keep living.  Rosetta is actually well balanced for a fairy her age.  She mourns but keeps living and still make friends, close friends like us.”

 

“It seems cruel,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“Life isn’t always kind, but no matter what we have our talents and that is always something we fairies can fall back on until we are – gone,” said Iridessa, and then tugged up Fawn who had fallen to her knees again.  Tinkerbell watched them leave, how Iridessa flew to the sun with a sudden set look she got when dealing with her light talent and Fawn found a butterfly that needed help getting back in the air.  Tinkerbell flew away.  There was an invention she had been trying to work out.

 


	7. A Place of Discovery

“She’s probably gone and run off,” said a haughty voice, there were people in her library.

 

“Don’t jump to conclusions without checking,” said another louder voice, people were shouting in her library.  There was definitely a rule against that.  Now all she needed to do was stand.  Wow, she felt like she weighed a ton.

 

“Listen to me she’s probably in a season causing trouble, everyone knows she does that from time to time,” said the first loud voice.  She was a redhead it seemed, ah, she had seen her and she looked scared, good.

 

“Rosetta, what’s wrong?” asked the darker one in the yellow dress. 

 

“Tear- Tear…” the fairy was pretty good at stuttering, and now looked beyond terrified of her.

 

“Teardrop,” said Tinkerbell excitedly. “What happened to your hair?  Here let me take some of those. Are you alright?  You look a bit dead.”

 

“You’re too hyper so early,” whined Teardrop sloppily as she followed the tinker who had stolen half of her archives.

 

“Um, it’s the afternoon,” said the yellow dressed fairy. “M-my names Iridessa by the way.”

 

“Teardrop,” said nodding her head in acknowledgement. She looked at the red head and waited her to say something.  The fairy glared back at her, well, Teardrop hadn’t seen that reactions in a while.

 

“This is Rosetta,” said Iridessa with a quick smile.  The red head glared at her friend.

 

“And your talents?” asked Teardrop with a yawn.

 

“You want to know our talents?” asked Iridessa looking at Rosetta as if for reassurance. “Why?”

 

“Because a fairies talent is what defines them,” said Teardrop finding her usual calm. 

 

“That’s hardly true,” said Tinkerbell coming from leafing through the old folders.

 

“Garden,” said Rosetta firmly.

 

“Um, light,” said Iridessa, and Teardrop nodded. 

 

“So, you came back, and brought friends,” said Teardrop to Tinkerbell. “I didn’t manage to scare you away then?”

 

“No, and neither did Rosetta, though you both tried hard enough,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“You tried to discourage them?  It shouldn’t have been that hard,” said Teardrop.

 

“Rosetta was here when the attack took place,” practically squeaked Iridessa.  Teardrop blinked and seemed to finally awake.

 

“And between you and Bobble you weren’t able to convince them to stay away?” she said with a slightly condescending smile while she crossed her arms. She looked over at Tinkerbell. “When you grab onto an idea you really stick to it.  Explains why you had such trouble with understanding there was a reason you had a talent, I suppose.”

 

Teardrop’s eyes lingered on Rosetta as the other fairy paled.  The dark fairy could see the fear in the garden fairies eyes and let a smirk in the disguise of a smile cross her lips.

 

“She’s quite something isn’t she Rosetta?” asked Teardrop, having a little fun at the garden fairy’s expense. “She started out doing everything wrong and in the end that led her be one of the greatest talents of all time.”

 

“Yeah,” said Rosetta letting out a swift breath of relief.  Teardrop smirked; pleased that even a fairy she hadn’t met at least knew of her goals and beliefs. 

 

“What had you so tired and thinking it was morning?” asked Tinkerbell changing the subject.  Teardrop lazily looked over to the girl.

 

“I was up late last night in the archives trying to find those folders.  I’ve been reviewing some of the books in the animal talent section and I stumbled upon a few books that I think are inaccurate to a fault and need to be moved downstairs so as to not confuse people,” said Teardrop deadly. “Now, what are you three looking for?  Tinkerbell you know the…”

 

“Did you get any sleep last night?” asked Tinkerbell cutting the dark fairy off.  Teardrop frowned slightly but turned to answer.  It wouldn’t do any good to be rude.

 

“I’m afraid I fell asleep on the stairs yesterday,” said Teardrop with a tap of her toes.

 

“On the stairs, how’d you manage that?” this time it was the light fairy.

 

“I find the darkness soothing and had just planned on resting my legs and eyes, I’m afraid I must have fallen asleep somewhere between that thought and the ridiculous notion that I’d actually get to officially catch up on my work today,” said Teardrop, a bit of annoyance touching her tone.

 

“You skipped breakfast,” said Rosetta suddenly and all eyes turned toward her in shock. “So I’ll just be going and… um where is your pantry?”

 

“My loft is up there,” said Teardrop pointing closer to the front of the library and up.

 

“Right, I’ll just nip up there and get you some breakfast, brunch, lunch,” Rosetta sent them a forced smiled and flew up to the loft and started opening her pantry doors.  Wasn’t much more than dust if Teardrop’s memory served her right, which it usually did.

 

“She seems very jumpy to be here,” observed Teardrop with a small snort.

 

“It was her idea to come here,” said Iridessa sitting at the large table and moving Teardrop’s folders out of the way.  Teardrop frowned and quickly walked over to do it correctly.

 

“She probably came to make sure you didn’t get yourselves killed by the evil librarian,” said Teardrop and surmised by the blushes on their cheeks that she wasn’t far off the mark on that statement.  Teardrop shook her head and started preparing her notes as she liked them and uncapping her ink and putting a feather next to a blank paper between the book and notes by a reliable animal talent study. 

 

“What happened to your –“

 

“What the hell is this?” shouted Rosetta from the loft.  Teardrop glanced in the direction before returning her attention to her books.  She was pretty sure that whatever Rosetta had found was completely innocent and she was making a big deal out of nothing. 

 

“Teardrop,” the librarian looked up at the whiny tinker and sent her a disapproving frown. “I asked what happened to your hair.”

 

“What’s this?” Teardrop had to cross her eyes to see the thing that Rosetta had shoved in her face.  Finally she tried to snatch it away only to have Rosetta pull it far enough away that Teardrop could actually tell what it was.

 

“A muffin,” said Iridessa trying to see if Rosetta had finally given into her fears and had cracked.

 

“A know that,” said Rosetta with a roll of her eyes and a shake of her head. “I meant… this is the only thing in your cupboards, well, that and an empty raspberry wine jug.”

 

“That was good, I never really had a chance to try wine before, and I must say that it exceeded my expectation, had to be careful though,” said Teardrop with a soft smile she shook her head. “I’m sorry, you three can split the muffin, I had forgotten it was Thursday, I had planned on eating that last night, but with the whole archive thing completely forgotten.”

 

“What about you?” asked Iridessa looking at the sad excuse for a muffin that Rosetta was holding like she suddenly thought it would explode and cover them in tar.

 

“I usually fast on Thursdays,” said Teardrop and dropped into her seat.  She had done this so many times before that she could probably do it with only half her attention.

 

“What, but you’re already too skinny,” said Tinkerbell angrily.  What was it with fairies and worrying about her weight?

 

“How can you tell?” asked Rosetta looking down at Teardrop’s leaf.  Teardrop sent her a bland glare.

 

“Her arms and legs,” said Iridessa rather logically. “Are we going to read now?  I want to read about Ulra.”

 

“No,” said Tinkerbell cutting off Teardrops instructions and making the library fairy pout and cross her hands. “Why are you fasting?”

 

“Because I don’t have any food – usually.  I’m given a certain amount of food that’s supposed to carry me through the week.  It’s usually either enough for me to eat just enough food to keep me on the edge of hunger or eat pretty well fed for six days and actually be able to concentrate on my work,” said Teardrop hoping this would stop the question.  Of course as she looked at them she realized none of them had the calm rationality that Vidia had where the fast flying fairy only muttered that they better not skip weeks but would agree with how Teardrop was dealing with her food supply.  No, instead she looked down on a furious Tinkerbell, the light fairy looked like she’d found a lightning bug that hadn’t gotten any light, and Rosetta looked like someone had told her that her hero had been found snorting thistle. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

 

“So you mean they give you only a little food… who cooks for you?” asked Rosetta, as if the thought of anyone forced to cook for the traitor was appalling.   Teardrop wondered a minute that before the way Rosetta was acting could have been misjudged as concern for the librarian. 

 

“No one, they usually just leave me a basket of fruits and seeds, but since it’s so close to the seasons changing the fairies in charge of leaving me food sometimes become overwhelmed and forget to leave me food,” said Teardrop and shrugged. “There’s a teaching fairy that anytime she came to drop off or get a book would stick around long enough to catch a glimpse of me.  Wouldn’t leave until she did.  I guess that she noticed that I started losing weight around the changing of seasons and now leaves me a basket for about three weeks.  This is probably the last of it.”

 

Teardrop was rather happy with her lie.  It even sounded halfway believable.  Even if the garden fairy was looking at her with a suspicious glare.

 

“Do you two know how to read?” asked Teardrop with a slight frown glancing between Rosetta and Iridessa.  The two exchanged shocked glances and Teardrop sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance.  They probably had completely forgotten that to read something they’d actually need to understand squiggles on a page and not just some silly pictures that were easily misgiving.

 

Teardrop clapped and a few books from the shelf nearest the door flew into her hands.

 

“Here, these are beginner books; I keep them near the front for teaching fairies.  You Tinkerbell are going to teach them,” she glared at the tinker when she looked ready to protest. “It shouldn’t take too long, at worse it’ll take you to the end of the day and you’ll have to return tomorrow.  You will,” she threw the books and they flapped rapidly away. “Be teaching them three tables away from mine and you will be talking in whispers so I can get my work done.”

 

The light and the gardener fairies had the self preservation skills to know to start backing up slowly.  Tinkerbell did not.

 

“But I want to know what happened to your hair!” she said in earnest.  Teardrop blinked in surprise, but the tinker looked completely serious. 

 

“I tried to comb it,” said Teardrop with a small shrug. “I couldn’t get it through the knots, so I cut it to a length where I could get the tangles out.”

 

There was odd sort of silence.

 

“I think it looks good,” said Iridessa in a slightly squeaky voice.  Rosetta’s head fell into her palms.

 

“Don’t you three have a lesson to start?” asked Teardrop dryly.

 

“Shouldn’t we be closer in case we have-“ started Tinkerbell, but Teardrop had her lost her patience with this game.

 

“No, go to your books and learn to read so that your time here is not wasted,” snapped Teardrop and watched the garden fairy pulled her friends away.  She continued to glare until they were seated and then sighed and turned down to her work.

 

It was mid-afternoon when she finally stretched out.  Two of the books she had found were indeed written by fairies who had no idea what they were writing about and it seemed they wrote without really investigating in hopes of being remembered in some way after their deaths.  Teardrop shook her head.  They would be taken to the archives and probably forgotten with the rest of these types of books.  It was actually amazing.  Since the fairies didn’t have a formal check system there were books that could come in without anyone credible review for accuracy by peers.  Teardrop had taken it upon herself to check.  New stuff was difficult, but information that held a little of the past in it was easy to trace.  It she found that it was inaccurate she’d put it in the darkest corner of the archives, promising to come get it if she learned the world had gone topsy-turvy and what they wrote was actually reality.

 

Her feet lapped quietly as she returned the one book that had been accurate, it just didn’t take the other factor into consent.  A good in-depth books, but not good for general information as it made it sound like the only way there was.

 

“Um,” Teardrop stiffened a little under the fairies voice.  She lowered her arm and looked over to see Rosetta in front of her, eyes cast to the side and down. “I’m…” the garden fairy suddenly glared and looked hard into Teardrop’s eyes. “I’m looking for a book on how fairies die.”

 

Teardrop tried to keep the shock from her face.  They stared at each other before Teardrop turned and started to walk toward the right section.  She didn’t hear the garden fairy following but that wasn’t surprising.  Still, if Rosetta actually wanted the answer she would follow the dark fairy.  Teardrop let an ironic smile slip on her face when she heard the fairy fly up behind her.  She was surprised Rosetta didn’t know at her age.  By one hundred, if they lived that long, a fairy knew how they died.  It was almost like a rite of passage.

 

It was also ritual for the fairies who knew to keep their mouths shut.  This was interesting extra piece of tidbit that very few fairies found that answer through books.  When a fairy finally needed to know they usually sought out the old friend or someone they knew had the answer and demand it of them.  Most who were confronted with the question tried to turn the fairy away but at some point they would realize it was time for the fairy to learn the truth.  Some fairies would claim they told because the fairy was annoying them, or some other weak excuse, but any old fairy knew that there was a point, a look in the eye, that forced them to pass the message on.

 

So a fairy knowing the forbidden wasn’t that surprising.  What was, was a fairy that was older than the dark fairy herself, older than a century who hadn’t sought the answer out yet.  It was almost unheard of.  Teardrop was almost tempted to ask what had changed her mind.  What had made that fairy finally seek out the answer when she must feel that her time was creeping up on her and since she lasted this amount of time without knowing, it would be easy to die without knowing.

 

Teardrop climbed up the ladder to the fourth shelf and then moved herself until she found the book she was looking for.  She slid down the steps and landed in front of Rosetta still looking at the cover.  She finally looked up to see the garden tensed in front of her – scared not only of the fairy in front of her, but the knowledge that fairy was suddenly holding in her hand.

 

Teardrop flipped the book around and offered it toward the garden fairy.  Rosetta started forward, but her hand shook, and she pulled back.  Her look almost one of fear.  Teardrop turned to put the book back, Rosetta would probably be better off without knowing.  There was something very morose about fairies after they had found the answer, a sad knowledge that always just lingered in their eyes after watching all their friends died and seemed to solidify after. 

 

“No, don’t put it away,” said Rosetta grabbing Teardrop’s arm.  The other fairy looked at her in confusion, silently asking what was going on. “I want – I should have done this a long time ago, I need to know.”

 

Teardrop turned on her ladder and folded away the hand with the book to give her full attention back to the garden fairy.

 

“But you don’t want to read the book and find out through something completely factual?” asked Teardrop, she was pretty sure she knew what the problem was, but didn’t really want to become more at fault for this revelation then she already was. “I have a few fictional books that explore the idea, if you would prefer a more sentimental way of learning it.”

 

“No,” said Rosetta softly and then gave her a dry glare that told Teardrop to stop being a jerk on purpose. “I need – I need you to tell – I can’t just read it.”

 

“Very well,” said Teardrop with a soft sigh that had Rosetta looking at her in shock.

 

“You’ll really tell me?” asked Rosetta, and Teardrop nodded.

 

“Better for you to hear it from me than someone you respect,” said Teardrop with a shake of her head.  If the autobiographies and stories were to believed someone telling the other how fairies died tended to destroy whatever sort of friendship or correspondence they had… it usually would strengthen their respect later for the elder, but their relationship would be strained or nonexistence from that day on.

 

“Why?” asked Rosetta who had probably always heard otherwise.

 

“Would you rather spend the rest of your life avoiding them?” asked Teardrop, Rosetta paled and shook her head. “Do you still want to know?”

 

She had to give the fairy away out, it was a rule, and this one in particular, more than even the fairies rejected because they were still young or who just shouldn’t know yet.

 

“Yes, I – I want… I need to know,” said Rosetta and Teardrop nodded and stood to full height and uncrossed her arms, the book in her left hand off to her side.

 

“You must have heard what it feels like,” said Teardrop and Rosetta nodded.

 

“Fawn told us after she almost died… how’d she come back?” asked Rosetta, as if hoping that would negate the deaths she had seen, as if seeing one life come back meant they all would.

 

“You can read about it, it’s basically the opposite cause as the one for dying is,” said Teardrop with a shrug.

 

“So – what…” she couldn’t seem to ask the question anymore.

 

“The idea behind it is a little complex, a mix of rejection and simply being a belief that is destroyed,” said the dark fairy reflectively. “But what kills us is rather simple.  No fairy can do it, because they don’t possess the importance a human does in our existence.  What it takes for a fairy to disappear into the darkness is a single phrase, all a human need to say is ‘I do not believe in fairies,’ and one of us drops dead.”

 

The silence between them stretched and then Rosetta forced a grimaced of a smile and a small chuckle.

 

“Well, that’s not that bad,” said Rosetta and then the smile fell and she tried to force it back.  Then there was just an odd confusion. “Right?”

 

Teardrop shook her head in what could have been taken as agreement but obviously wasn’t.

 

“Well, I should go back to my friends, I’m still a bit caught up in the grammar part,” said Rosetta and started to back up. She froze with wide eyes when Teardrop held out the book toward her and then hurried forward to snatch it out of Teardrop’s hand. “Thank you.”

 

Teardrop watched passively as the fairy stumbled away from her, book in hand, back to her friends to learn to read so she could confirm what the traitor had told her.

 

It really wasn’t that bad.  No.  They lived full lives full of beauty.  They didn’t grow old or suffer childhood; they were always beautiful and young as long as they didn’t get into any accidents and took care of themselves.  Often they would out live humans and they lived in a world where they never had to really question their place in the world.  Fairies were gardeners, tinkers, light, miners, cooks, they all had their talent and had their place, which was much more than any human could complain.  Most were ready when they died, though there were a few deaths that were cruel and would drive their friends into depression.  But their world was beautiful their work had meaning.  So, they died suddenly.  So they died because of the very thing that gave them life and believed there was some beauty and joy in the world was rejected part of its mystery.  That was just poetry, a kind way to keep sickness or old age from eating away at them.  No, they were given a kind death -- if the books were to be believed even.

 

Teardrop looked out the window and realized that it was hardly even dinner time.  Why did this day have to drag on?  Actually, the morning had been fine; she’d slept through the morning.  Then she woke up to the annoying three fairies who had somehow, in one of her brief absences, added two more fairies to their group and now had her glaring at her what felt like every five minutes.

 

That’s about when the door opened and another fairy decided to grace the library with their presence.  Sometimes there was such a thing as too much company.

 

Of course Teardrop almost cursed when she did see who it was.  What did that stupid feather think she was doing coming in the middle of the afternoon?  Just because Teardrop said that Tinkerbell had stopped coming for a while didn’t mean she’d never come again.  Teardrop glared at the girl and tried to motion behind her and hope that Tinkerbell and her friends hadn’t seen her.  Vidia continued to walk toward her.

 

“Are you the book fairy?” asked Vidia crisply.  Teardrop stopped what would have been a completely mortifying lecture that gave everything away and blinked up at the fast flying fairy for a few precious seconds.

 

“I am the librarian here, yes,” agreed Teardrop, automatically correcting the fairy.  Vidia looked lost for a second, as if she had agreed, but said the wrong thing to be agreeing, and then remembered why she was there.

 

“Whatever, look, do you know what books might tell me where this stuff comes from?” asked Vidia shoving leaves at her.  Teardrop glared at the green things.

 

“I don’t like having leaves in my library,” said Teardrop frowning at the leaves and looked back at Vidia who was glaring in a way that accused her of being difficult on purpose.

 

“It’s what I had to write it down.  Now why don’t you do your job and go fetch the books that have these items in them,” said Vidia with a dangerous and imperious smile.

 

“You don’t have to do anything Teardrop,” the dark fairy turned to find that it was indeed the garden fairy who was sticking up for her. “Not if Vidia is showing you the list I think she’s showing you.”

 

“What do you know dear?” hissed Vidia and turned back to Teardrop. “Now why don’t you do your job and go find those books, hm?”

 

Teardrop raised an eyebrow and tried not to just laugh at the other girl’s attitude.

 

“Teardrop you don’t—Teardrop?” trailed off Tinkerbell watching as the librarian stood and gathered the leaves in her arms.

 

“I do have a job here, and this covers part of it,” said Teardrop, her voice soft with the tinker fairy and then turned her attention on Vidia with a strong frown. “And you, most sane fairies leave things like that on the top shelf and come back the next day to retrieve the books I select for them.  They aren’t actually stupid enough to come into the library.”

 

Vidia looked around the dark fairy to the annoying bunch of twits who had insisted on depraving Teardrop of her usual silence and getting her behind on work so she actually started flying from place to place and just clapping to straighten everything out.

 

“What about them, they’re here,” said Vidia and then crossed her arms.  Teardrop gave her a dry look.

 

“None of them are sane,” the librarian deadpanned and ignored said fairies reactions. “Except for the garden fairy who came to protect her friends, but I’m starting to worry about her seeing as she’s still here.  Now, why don’t I go get you those books?”

 

“Teardrop, she’s just trying to get her good name back, this isn’t anything but a vanity project for her,” insisted Rosetta, Teardrop let a smirk cross her lips since none of them could see her.  The dark fairy would be very lost if she hadn’t been friends with the fast flying fairy.

 

“Vanity project or not it’s still part of my job,” said Teardrop.  Vidia made a superior noise at Rosetta and Teardrop rolled her eyes, “Though if she continues to be rude in my library I will give her some books on manners instead.”

 

There was a hoot of laughter and a screech of indignation behind Teardrop that had the fairy walking a step faster toward the mainland section and opening one of the leaves and sticking her head in it.  She knew that if she turned around and saw Vidia’s look she would break out into hysterical laughter.  She could hardly believe this, she never remembered being able to relax and feel so comfortable around a person in a friendly way to laugh.  Not even her sister could do that.

 

After glancing through Vidia’s notes she quickly went about getting the correct books on ships that would best go with them.  After a few minutes of flying around she landed back on her feet and made her way quickly back toward the front of the library where voices were slowly rising.

 

Her irritation getting the better of her Teardrop walked with a deep frown to the front and glared at the sight in front of her.  All the fairies were ganged against Vidia with Tinkerbell moved to be the first line of attack.  It looked to ready to become very catty within the next few seconds.

 

“What do you think you are doing!” demanded Teardrop, dropping the books hard against the table, her voice cracking under the strain at reaching a level that it hadn’t even attempted for nearly a century. “This is a library; you will not raise your voices above a whisper!”

 

Silence descended, a very loud silence that just irked the dark fairy more.  She angrily walked up to Vidia and shoved the books in her friend’s arms.  The fast flying fairy looked ready to point out she was making the most noise, but Teardrop glared that idea right out of the fairies head.

 

“So, I can take these out of the library?” asked Vidia not even trying to whisper.  Teardrop smiled dangerously.

 

“It’s technically not allowed, but the rules set up by Queen Clarion make it hard for me to keep books in here when they are requested,” said Teardrop bitterly.

 

“But, we can – I can now,” said Tinkerbell, and Teardrop turned around to see the inventor holding up her library card.

 

“Yes,” said Teardrop with a suddenly bright smile. “Give me a moment.”

 

She flew up and found the squares she’d made just in case and flew them down to her ink.  The others followed her to the table.

 

“Well let’s see, one for Rosetta and Iridessa,” she wrote their names in a tall flourish and then pushed them toward the two.  Both fairies looked at the cards with reserve.  Teardrop guessed Tinkerbell had told them what ink was and that they weren’t going to touch their cards until they knew the ink had dried. “Phineas T. Kettletree, Esquire; and I’m afraid the rest of you will have to tell me your names.  Including the sour puss who’s trying to sneak away.”

 

She happily scribbled their names on each sheet.  This way she might get those days of silences with days of not feeling alone.  Knowing Tinkerbell, the other fairy would find away to royally ruin her plan, but at the moment she couldn’t be bothered.

 

“This means you can all go now,” she said much too cheerfully.  It was getting dark outside, and Teardrop would rather not ruin her sleeping pattern.

 

“Nope, we still have a few lessons to go through until we can read with gusto,” said Bobble happily, Teardrop frowned (she didn’t pout) at the tinker fairy. “It’s just until all of us can read on our own so we won’t bother you tomorrow.”

 

“Ugh,” said Teardrop letting her head fall into her arms.  Why was this sparrow man talking so easily to her?  He was one of the ones that should feel most betrayed by her actions, he couldn’t just turn around and be comfortable with her after being in her presence for a day and learning that she really had no reason to try and dispose of him.

 

“I’m telling you it’s impossible,” and that loud voice of the gardener fairy. “It’s not ships.”

 

“Well, it looks like even the librarian disagrees with you on that point,” hissed Vidia, Teardrop rolled her eyes.  It was becoming painfully obvious why Vidia said that a crusty old dark bitter librarian of a fairy was her best friends, at this point in time it wouldn’t shock her if Vidia said she was her only friend. 

 

“What is going on here?” asked Teardrop menacingly as she walked up to the two fairies; they both took a step away from her.

 

“It – it was the books that you gave Vidia,” said Rosetta and then glared at the fast flying fairy.  Teardrop sighed and rubbed between her eyes, tuning the two out as they began to fight again.  The books… yeah, perhaps shock was the best way to get it through their heads.  She looked quickly at Vidia and gave her a small nod that told the other that Teardrop finally got what the fast flying fairy was trying to do, why Vidia had come at a time when Tinkerbell and her friends were most likely to have already shown up.

 

She quickly found a book best suited for what they needed and slipped it off the shelf. 

 

“Here, this best explains everything you found,” said Teardrop shoving into Vidia.  The fast flying fairy ‘oomphed’ and glared at Teardrop while, from the look on Rosetta’s face, she had just been deemed alright and no longer queen murdering scum. 

 

“Pirates,” said Vidia softly but triumphantly when she got a good look at the cover.

 

“I doubt that whatever she gave you immediately led to that conclusion,” snapped Rosetta.  These two had it in for each other.  Even Tinkerbell had given up prodding and poking the annoying fast flying fairy.

 

In answer Vidia sneered and turned the cover to face the other fairies, there was a minute of stunned silence and then all pandemonium broke out.

 

\--

 

In the end they decided to wait another week and see if the collection of pirate things kept coming.  Teardrop wasn’t especially happy with this decision since it had already been so long that the stuff had been coming, and had to be delicate in actually getting that time down to a week.  She now understood why Vidia was so flustered about the entire ordeal.

 

At least it was quiet now that the crowd had left after, deciding to finish the lesson later.  Teardrop even had time to tell them the new rule about not being able to take out books longer than a week and taking the few books and marking their front covers with the date it was to be given back.  Teardrop liked that rule; it would let her know earlier when people started losing interest in coming to see her.

 

So, now she was left to her books.  She walked restlessly around her shelves of fluttering pages and chided herself for not yet dispelling the light.  It was stupid, as was this pacing.  She hadn’t slept well for the last week, and now she couldn’t fall asleep.  With one more exaggerated sigh she lifted her hands and clapped. 

 

The answer to why she was so antsy squeaked.  So one of the fairies had stashed herself behind and was a little afraid of the dark.  Whoever could it be?

 

“Tinkerbell, what are you still doing here?” asked Teardrop as she located the small pulse of light that the tinker fairy gave off.

 

“Teardrop, is that you?” it was obvious that the tinker couldn’t quite see her, she was hardly a dark blob in the libraries dimmed light.

 

“Yes, who else would be here so late?” asked the dark fairy stepping into the glow of the other fairies magic.

 

“Sorry, I just realized I had a question,” said Tinkerbell with a soft smile that told Teardrop the other fairy wasn’t really that sorry at all.  Teardrop sighed and ran her thumb and forefinger over her eyes.

 

“Tinkerbell I’m tired and you being in my library has put me on edge,” said Teardrop and looked imploringly at the tinker who shook her blond head. “Very well, as long as it is not another question about my hair.”

 

“No, you owe me this answer,” said the tinker seriously, and Teardrop allowed a blink in surprise. “You lied to me.” Now she quirked an eyebrow, that was entirely true, but which lie had Tinkerbell caught on to? “You told me that sisters were close friends among their talents.”

 

Teardrop visibly relaxed.  This might be a touchy subject of her, but it was easily explainable and would get no one in trouble if she slipped up somewhere in the conversation.

 

“I never said that was what a sister was, I merely asked if you had a close friend among you’re talent,” Teardrop pointed out.

 

“You made it seem like that’s what a sister was,” said Tinkerbell grumpily and Teardrop smiled.

 

“Yes, I suppose I did,” she agreed.  They waited in silence until Tinkerbell got a little too antsy.

 

“Well, what is a sister, it’s not a friend from my talent, it’s not a best friend, it’s not a – partner, what else could it be?” asked Tinkerbell stomping her food and Teardrop swore she could hear small bells.

 

“It is the other half of a babies laugh, the other half of my soul,” explained Teardrop with a slight smile, and continued on when Tinkerbell just looked more baffled. “When I was born the babies laugh that birthed me also attached to another leaf and we were born of it.  She is my other half, we are connected inseparably, and it hurts us to be apart.  We are the same, and we are completely different our only similarities the feelings we share for each other.”

 

“Where is she, your other half?” asked Tinkerbell with concern and then looked frightened for Teardrop’s sake. “She’s not – gone is she?”

 

“What?  No, if my sister dies so do I,” explained Teardrop, oddly detached from the conversation.

 

“Then, where is she?  Why doesn’t she come and visit you?” asked Tinkerbell. “Doesn’t it hurt her also?”

 

“Yes, very much I’d imagine, but I would imagine she avoids coming near me for the same reason I pray she never comes to see me in my prison,” Teardrop looked out one small window to the star strewn sky. “We both feel betrayed.  She feel betrayed by me because I rose up against everything thing she felt was right, went against her beliefs.  I don’t want to see her because by stopping me and putting me in here and putting these rubies around my neck she betrayed me.”

 

“But can’t you just forgive each other?” asked Tinkerbell grabbing Teardrop’s arms.  Teardrop looked down on them with no emotion.

 

“No, she took away my rights, she took away what I felt was life,” Teardrop gripped at the rubies. “I tried to kill her idol and way of an easy life.  We both cut too deep, and both of us refuse to apologize and forgive – forget.”

 

“But wouldn’t it be easier that way?” demanded Tinkerbell, Teardrop frowned deeply and wrenched her arms from the tinkers hold.

 

“In the end the decision rests on my sister, and she will only forgive me if I truthfully say I am sorry for what I did and would do anything to bring back Queen Bright,” said Teardrop. “I cannot lie to her, she is the other half of me, she knows the answer before she even asks it.”

 

“But, I mean, you feel sorry Queen Bright is dead right?” asked Tinkerbell with a reassuring smile.  Teardrop’s head snapped up to stare Tinkerbell right in the eyes.

 

“No,” said Teardrop strongly. “I might not have been the thing that killed her, but if it had ever been within my power to kill the old queen I would have.”

 

Tinkerbell looked frozen by this admission, frozen to the spot.

 

“Ree is a much better queen, much better for the fairies and regulating the seasons than Queen Bright ever was.  The only thing I would change is that I would make sure my sister was on my side this time around,” said Teardrop strongly.  Tinkerbell had her hands over her mouth while they shook slightly.

 

“But…” the fairy finally stuttered.

 

“Tinkerbell,” said Teardrop, once again get the fairies full attention. “I think it’s time for you to go home.”

 

The tinker took off faster than even Vidia could do on her best days, and Teardrop only started moving when the front library doors bashed shut.  She lazily let the gold dust fall from her hands as her screaming wings carried her to her hammock.  As she curled up in the cloth she tried to ignore the screaming pain and with a single tear running down her cheeks she wished her sister would come and stand outside the door again.  She might never want to see the traitor again but her heart ached and killed, and she knew that even being near her sister would lessen, even if it was only a little bit.

 


	8. Soul Food

Teardrop woke up with the sun the next morning.  She loved waking with the sun, it meant a lazy morning where she could take all the time she wanted to wake up and get ready for a day of rearranging annoying flying books and do her usual research.  At least she had finally written down what she felt was the most neutral explanation of what happened at Pixie Hollow that spring.

 

She tripped as she rolled out of her hammock and into the warm sun.  Smiling lazily into it, she told the great ball of fire to do something rather unsavory and happily went to her cupboards to see if she had anything to eat.  Nope, either it was Thursday or near the changing the seasons.  With a small sigh she walked to the edge of her loft and stepped off it and her wings reacted just in time to keep her from breaking her legs and lowered her with a dull thud to the ground.

 

Hmm, now that she thought about it, she remembered seeing a muffin yesterday… Why did she have muffins?  The fairies that gave her food never gave her anything that substantial, the most they would do is give her dried fruit, and she remembered Raspberry wine… but they trusted her to get her own water.  So – oh, yes, Vidia made her the muffins; Vidia was going to come see her now every Friday, so Teardrop would see her the next day.

 

Her stomach growled unhappily and Teardrop glared down at it as she started working Pixie Dust into her wings.  Her heart ached like mad, her wings hurt like stinging thistle, and her stomach dared complained that it was hungry after just one day of fasting when the trip to Vidia should have held it over for at least three days.

 

Oh, that was right; she had gone to see Vidia – and then the next day Tinkerbell had shown up after almost a week and she had let them eat the last muffin because she always fasted on – was it Wednesday or Thursday? 

 

She covered the flap on the pouch and turned away from its slight glow.  She sighed happily in the darkness that surrounded and caressed her.  Why did she work in the light of day?  It would be much nicer to just be a shadow in the darkness.  Still, it was a bit harder to read in the dark.  Plus, for a fairy who worked with others and needed them to be really useful it just wasn’t logical.  Even if she worked in the library she liked working during the day because she could hear other talents faintly through her walls going about their work.   

 

She sighed in disappointment as she walked out of the archives and into the actual library, the sun playing against her face and body.  She wondered what day it was.  Friday meant Vidia and food, Thursday meant quiet unless Tinkerbell came back – she had scared the fairy pretty badly last night she was sure.  Teardrop shook her head, whatever was going to happen would, nothing much she could do in the limited space allowed her.

 

Not that she didn’t have things to do, she did, even now she was glaring at close to an entire section that had been corrupted by the change last night.  How did the books do it?  Were they completely illogical?  Why would the pirate books think it was a good idea to mix up with the section on the lost boys?  Glaring she ran the ladder to their area and started to climb and start the long job of putting the books back in place.

 

The front door slammed shut, or was that the knocker?  Frowning in confusion Teardrop banged on the shelf and stepped in the direction of the door as the books made a mad dash for their right section.  As she entered the main study area she glanced at the front shelf, to see if any books had been taken or any new ones were there… no, everything looked in order.  Teardrop felt her heart skip a happy beat and her feet start to hurry toward the door.  Her food was there, which meant it was Friday, which meant that Vidia would be visiting her soon. 

 

She stopped, hand against the door.  Tears sprang in her eyes and she tried to stop a soft moan from going any further than her throat.  She leaned her head against the door and brushed her cheek against it like a cat.  Her muscles quivered under her restraint.  All she wanted to do was throw open the doors and run into that gold body, mold with it and become one.  She wanted to let her sister protect her, she wanted to become the sword her sister wielded her against enemies.

 

But she wouldn’t, neither of them could do that, be what they were supposed to be to each other, never again.  They were both to set in their beliefs, too stubborn in their ways of life.  So all they could do to be close to feel that connection without ever seeing each other and making the separation worse with fights and harsh words and actions.  Teardrop pressed her whole body against the door and knew her sister was at least leaning heavily on the other side. 

 

And then the connection started to pull and stretch and Teardrop felt a dry sob escape her lips.  Her sister was going away, going back to her job and trying to forget her sister so she could do right by her people.  Teardrop fell to the ground and felt tears actually touch her eyes and then fall.  It was always the hardest when her sister left.  It hurt even worse when her sister would do her yearly checkups or have to be interviewed on event that Teardrop was expected to make a final piece of since she was completely objective on the matter.  It was harder because back then they would fight and leave with raised tempers and the ache in their heart only worse, but the times her sister would come and just lean against the door – when their connection was being acknowledge and strengthened – the separation that was caused again would tear Teardrop apart and fill her with joy all at once.

 

She sat there at the door, sobs wracking her body, hands and the top of her head pressed against the door.  She allowed her waist to hang over bent knees and let the sobs become loud and clumsy.  She cried like this every time, she never tried to hide, not when it hurt like this, she just let it run its course because if she didn’t she’d do something stupid, she lash out at something precious, she’d…

 

 She could hardly feel the small pulse that connected her to her sister now.  With a sigh she pushed herself up and tried to rearrange her leaf more comfortably and flicked away her remaining tears and grimaced at the taste of snot and wiped irritably at her nose.  She wondered if her sister had even let a single tear drop during the upheaval, but doubted it.  The other fairy didn’t like to face her own emotions like that, she even strove to hide great happiness for the queens sake.

 

The library door slipped open and Teardrop poked her head out and looked around.  No one seemed to be there -- and no food either.  She glanced around in annoyance until she looked straight down and realized that the basket had been left right up next to the door.  With a triumphant smirk she dragged the basket in, buckling only a little under its weight.

 

Her small table hardly had room for the basket and also for the jars that were probably in it.  She unscrewed the first jar and found it filled with seeds a little larger than her hand.  She dug counted, six in all, of course… because the seventh day wasn’t important.  Teardrop took a bite and looked back at the seed it was a hard strict white and elongated and she had never tasted or seen anything like.  With a small hum she put it aside with the conviction to look it up later.

 

The second jar filled the air with a nice sweet flavor… blueberry jam, now that could last for a while.  With a happy smile she screwed the lid back on lightly moved on to her last jar and unscrewed the lid to that.  Ah, little chips of dried banana and orange, each piece fitting neatly on her palm.  So, for breakfast it was dried peaches or bananas smothered in blueberry jam, for lunch would be a seed, and dinner would be whatever Vidia brought her.

 

“Teary your guard is being annoying today,” came the echo of said fast flying fairies voice in a direction that let Teardrop know that Vidia had not come in through the front door.

 

“Yes, well, my sister probably caught wind that some stupid fairies had started making it a habit of coming to the library and wanted to make sure nothing happened,” said Teardrop with a slight smile, her sister could be irrational and naive to the point it hurt at times.  How was a guard posted outside her door supposed to save fairies inside the library? “You probably could have come in the front door.  Chances are she knows you’re one of those stupid fairies because of yesterday.”

 

“How was I suppose to get in with these?” asked Vidia and Teardrop turned around only to blink in surprise.  Vidia had two baskets, the fairy quickly closed her cupboards and stole one of the baskets in an effort to help and also find out what was inside.  Vidia, since she was the fastest flying fairy, she was easily able to stop Teardrop from seeing what was in the basket.

 

“Vidia,” whined Teardrop looking over the basket with a pout.  Vidia looked at her dryly and then with slight concern as she grabbed her chin and forced her over the small table to get a good look at the dark face.

 

“You’ve been crying,” said Vidia duly and rolled her eyes. “What was it this time?”

 

Teardrop smiled, Vidia already knew her well enough to not make a huge fuss when she cried.  Not that Vidia would, in the past when Teardrop had come to her often with tear tracks she had given her a lecture on not being such a baby, now she just asked because half the time Teardrop cried she had useful information or would let something about her shadowed past slip.

 

“My sister came to visit,” said Teardrop trying to peer into the basket only to have Vidia put a firm hand over the top.

 

“Oh,” said Vidia dismissively. “Did you get into another fight?”

 

“No, she just stood outside the door to help the ache die down.  That doesn’t happen if we fight,” said Teardrop as if that cleared up everything.

 

“I thought that you’d actually have to, oh I don’t know, acknowledge one another through touch, or something like that,” said Vidia trying to sound like she really that interested.

 

“Nah, just because she’s my other half doesn’t mean that we have to acknowledge each other with touch.  We have to be close to each other, but if we want we could just ignore even that fact,” said Teardrop with a shrug. “It’s just that doing that is really…”

 

“What?” asked Vidia looking at Teardrop and then following her friends gaze into the basket she hadn’t brought. “Where did that come from?”

 

“It’s Friday and they started remembering my existence again,” said Teardrop reaching and taking out the yellow stuff at the side of the basket that she had overlooked before. “That or one of the fairies hunted down someone who was meandering around the library, assumed correctly they were some of my guards, and proceeded to chew them out for not giving me my weekly ration.”

 

“And _that_ is?” asked Vidia pointing to the limp yellow thing that seemed to be oozing something slightly clear and sweet smelling.

 

“A lemon square,” said Teardrop still holding the thing delicately in front of her. “My sister used to make them for me all the time.”

 

Determination crossed the dark fairies face and she took a brave bite, and nearly choked on it.  Vidia watched in horror as the fairy almost choked trying to make sure the thing went down.

 

“Did she try to poison you?” asked Vidia, though she couldn’t imagine why Teardrop would swallow it then, if she died didn’t her sister?

 

“No, but her cooking’s as bad as ever,” said the dark fairy with a slight grunt.  She suddenly made a beeline for her cupboards, opening them and taking out two jars. “Now where’s my knife?”

 

Vidia rolled her eyes and looked at the lemon square, which wasn’t a square so much as a pile of goop.  How bad could it actually be?  She almost had her hand on it when Teary grabbed it and gave a look at a wide-eyed fairy who obviously would, in the end, let Vidia decide if she was going to eat it.  Vidia wasn’t, not just because she’d rather not spend a month trying to recover from food poisoning in her bed and not trying to fly faster, but also because she knew Teardrop was going to put that goop into her cupboard and eat it each time she wanted her sister until the thing was gone.  Vidia was very glad that she was a complete soul at that moment.

 

“So, what did you bring me?” asked Teardrop around food that crunched and squished.  Teardrop’s smile turned slightly fearful when the dark fairy saw the almost evil smile that split Vidia’s face.

 

“Well, as you can see I went all out with food this week.  First I’ll show you the meal,” said Vidia with a proud smile and then opened the first basket. The immediate area was invaded with the smell of fresh vegetables and bread.  Vidia carefully took it out and then proceeded to take a jar full of tomato sauce and put it next to the concoction. “This is one of my favorite dishes that I found I was able to make up myself.”

 

Teardrop glanced up at Vidia with slight amusement and couldn’t help the barb. “Why Vidia, I didn’t know you were really a baking-talent fairy.”

 

“It’s called spinach bread, though it doesn’t taste much like bread,” continued Vidia, ignoring Teardrop so that she didn’t drop both of the baskets into a stream.  She was sure that whatever the guards had given Teardrop would help the dark fairy go back to a safe weight. “It’s spinach, onion, and cauliflower mixed up in clover honey and folded into bread.  It’s delicious, especially if you leave it for a few days so the tastes all get soaked properly into each other.  Now, I’ve already divided it into six parts, all you have to do is spread a little tomato sauce before you cook it – wherever.”

 

“Sounds great,” said Teardrop genuinely, she hadn’t anything that substantial for a long time and was sure that the fast flying fairy had made it when she started worrying about her weight again. “Now, what’s in the second basket?”

 

Vidia rolled her eyes and opened the second basket tops.  The sweet sticky smell made Teardrop almost melt in her seat.  How could she have gone so long without even smelling food?  Food was God, food made the world go round.

 

“You have the worst sweet tooth of anyone I have ever met,” said Vidia bluntly with a touch of humor. 

 

“Don’t care,” said Teardrop dreamily and lazily lifted her heavy to stare at the whole circle of heaven. “You baked me a cake.”

 

“Yup,” said Vidia proudly, apparently Vidia had a weird interest in cooking, it happened every once in a while, at least Vidia was almost as good at cooking as baking-talent fairy. “The cake part is made of so much butterfly butter it just melts in your mouth; the frosting is made of thick spun sugar with just a touch of maple sugar.  Which you aren’t allowed to eat until after dinner tonight.”

 

“Meanie,” said Teardrop with a pathetic pout as Vidia hid away her cake. “And I suppose you brought me something to wash it down with?”

 

“Another liquor,” said Vidia with a devious smile as she pulled out another white jug and popped up the top to waved the neck under Teardrop’s nose.  Teardrop almost fainted in ecstasy; Vidia could take the place in her heart reserved for her sister any time she wanted.

 

“Rose nectar with a hint of dandelion milk,” said Teardrop happily. “You spoil me.”

 

Vidia chuckled and put the jug away in her ice box. “I find that it complements the two dishes perfectly.”

 

“You’re my best friend ever,” said Teardrop a little silly.

 

“You’re acting drunk already,” said Vidia with a smirk and then looked like she was about to make the day perfect. “And I have the designs for your new clothes that I promised.”

 

“Good, because I’ve written out all my measurements,” said Teardrop and then frowned when she tried to figure out which stack of paper she had shoved that information in.

 

“Here they are,” Vidia with actual paper and even colors.  Teardrop would have been impressed if the pictures didn’t make her eyes grow into saucers her mind blanch at wearing anything that… well, lacking in actual material.

 

“Vidia,” said Teardrop slowly, turning to face the other fairy with a sickeningly sweet smile.

 

“Yes Teary?” asked Vidia sounding annoyingly proud of herself.

 

“Does it seem like I have any interest in dressing like a slut?” asked Teardrop with that strained smile.  Vidia seemed to realize her friend was not happy with the designs.

 

“What’s a slut?” asked Vidia, the two fairies kept eye contact until Teardrop realized the girl was being serious and dropped her head to the table with a groan.  Of course, no matter how jaded and self-centered Vidia appeared and was, she was still a fairy, a fairy who didn’t read.  So, being a fairy meant that Vidia was surprisingly ignorant of certain things.  Because as a rule it seemed that fairies were basically innocent creatures, it was the reason they had been so shocked when Teardrop had turned on them because they hadn’t even thought that a fairy would dare question that far.  Really, the closest that fairies ever came to rebellion was what Tinkerbell had done, and the closest thing they had to a malicious act was what Vidia had done, and those incidents were considered extremely rare. 

 

“It shows too much skin,” Teardrop enunciated as if Vidia was acting dense on purpose.

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, I made these with you in mind,” said Vidia as if that cleared everything up and explained away Vidia trying to push Teardrop in clothes that had less cloth then underwear.

 

“I thought you said you designed your own clothes.  You’re clothes are appropriately modest, why do I have to look like some twenty dollar whore?” asked Teardrop pointing at the pictures.  Vidia looked at her with exasperation and confusion for a moment before shaking her head and going forward.

 

“I’m going to guess that you just asked me why I have clothes that cover me and why my designs for you show allot of skin,” said Vidia hesitantly and Teardrop nodded to show that Vidia had got it right in one. “Well, the reason is simple.  My skin is pale and icky, it looks sickly especially because of my dark hair, so I cover most of it up with purple and have sharp edges, because I think I look good as being sharp.  You, however, in spite of spending all your time indoors, have great skin that is smooth and dark.  I have you in more rounded and blue colors because even though you’ve been starved and are only skin in bone you still, somehow, have a rounded look about you.”

 

There was a very odd sort of silence.

 

“Are you insane?” asked Teardrop, there had to be something in the water, that was the only way to explain everything that was happening with the fairies and why they all were visiting her even though the general conscious was that she was a murderer, and Vidia was actually admitting to having confidence issues.

 

“Listen, you’ve only looked at the first three, you haven’t even seen the rest,” said Vidia flippantly and Teardrop returned to the pictures and dutifully started leafing toward them because she really didn’t want to hurt Vidia’s feelings.  That did not mean that she ever wanted to read half these things, sure they looked good, but – by the queen they were scandalous at the best!

 

“That reminds me,” said Teardrop, pausing at one of the designs with potential as soon as she added more layers.  She gingerly fished out the necklace she’d been hording and blew on the thick golden liquid that immediately hardened. “I wanted to give this to you.”

 

“A necklace?  The ambers pretty, but what’s in it?” asked Vidia looking at the pendent at the end to the strong spider silk chain. 

 

“A lock of my hair,” said Teardrop with a shrug and started making the pants on the outfit a suitable length.  Vidia almost dropped the necklace in disgust.

 

“Please tell me you’re joking,” the fast flying fairy whined.

 

“No, it’s like this,” said Teardrop lifting her wrist and pointing to the coil of gold hair braided around it. “My sister has one just like it only with my hair, if we desperately need each other we just have to concentrate on that hair and we’ll be there immediately.”

 

“Would your sister actually come?” asked Vidia skeptically and then glared at the changes Teardrop had made to her design and started erasing the part on her stomach.

 

“Of course, I would only call her in an emergency, she knows that,” said Teardrop.

 

“But what if it was a trap?” asked Vidia, Teardrop shrugged.

 

“She would feel it,” said Teardrop. “Plus, if I was dying, she’d be dying and we’d use it to find each other.  The only other reason we’d contact each other is if Pixie Hollow was in trouble and we can immediately tell that anyway.”

 

“Why?” asked Vidia.

 

“She can feel everything magical and an attack here would shake it here, and because of what I am I feel everything in Pixie Hollow, a connection that is as impossible to break as the one to my sister,” said Teardrop and then sighed. “So, wear it please, that way I will know that you haven’t gotten yourself in trouble.  It’s not like my hair is touching you.”

 

Vidia snorted in dry amusement.

 

“You didn’t have enough hair to make a bracelet, thank the queen,” said Vidia with a mock prayer to the air.  Teardrop looked up as if she actually expected Queen Clarion to be there and Vidia punched her in the shoulder, and did something very interesting, she bit her lip.

 

“What’s wrong Vidia?” asked Teardrop testily.

 

“It’s nothing much,” said Vidia flippantly, throwing her hair over one shoulder huffily and then spared a quick look back. “Could you make one of those bracelets out of my hair for yourself?  Unless it only works for sisters and even if I get it I can’t promise I’ll know what it is…”

 

“You’ll know, it’s something that will answer for its self,” said Teardrop walking behind her friend, she ran a hand down the dark thick hair. “Are you sure, I could take a little and make a pendant.”

 

“No, one to match the gold one already around your wrist,” said Vidia, Teardrop still considered just taking a small lock, but she’d rather not be nursing a black eye for the next week so she clipped the amount she needed and started braiding.

 

Somewhere in the middle of Teardrop carrying out this act they started arguing about exactly what the outfit should look like.  Teardrop liked the basic idea, the stitching, ornaments, and designs Vidia had added to the look, she didn’t like the fact she seemed adamant on the pants being short-shorts, and a shirt that hardly covered her chest.  By the end they were sitting on either sides of the small table practically growling at each other, with the dark color of Vidia’s hair-made-bracelet almost undecipherable from the skin of the dark fairy.

 

“We’re here,” both fairies jumped.  Teardrop sent a frantic look out the window.  It was nowhere near midday!

 

“Hey, Vidia stop annoying Teardrop,” shouted Rosetta, another stupid fairy.  Teardrop glared at Vidia, it was the fairies fault that Rosetta didn’t still hold a grudge against her after all. 

 

“Eh, and here I was hoping to take apart the dear for not giving me enough information,” said Vidia with a strained smile.  Teardrop returned it.

 

“It’s not my fault you can’t read,” she said between gritted teeth.

 

“Alright Vidia,” said Tinkerbell flying up to them and talking in a very loud falsely peppy voice, what was this little feather doing back at the library after last night? “If you’re going to continue to be a sour puss you have got to go!”

 

“Like I’d want to stay,” muttered Vidia taking the fastest way out the front door without even trying to say a quick goodbye.

 

“You’re going to love me for who I brought,” said Tinkerbell much too loudly.  Teardrop gave her the best deadpanned frown she could.

 

“Quiet in the library, Tinkerbell,” said Teardrop.  She never had to worry about this silly feather being a problem for Pixie Hollow; she was more a danger to herself than anyone else. 

 

“Oh, come on Teary, we’re all friends,” strike that, Tinkerbell had no self-preservation instincts whatsoever.

 

“What is all that noise?” asked Teardrop looking over her shoulder, Tinkerbell flew right in front of her face, barely an inch a way and shouted.

 

“Friends!”

 

It wasn’t that incomprehensible that at that moment Teardrop’s face actually took on a slight shade of dark brown mud red and she completely lost her temper.

 

“I will have silence in my library,” shouted Teardrop over the talkative group of fairies which now seemed to composed of at least one of every spring talent. “Tinkerbell..?”

 

“Yes?” squeaked Tinkerbell as Teardrop stalked toward her, fear evident in her shaking knees.

 

“Why are there so many fairies in my library?” she asked with a slight hiss.

 

“Um, well, you see…” said Tinkerbell haltingly as Teardrop stalked her into a wall.

 

“Oh, my mercy what is this?” Teardrop turned sharply to see a plump fairy turning from her now open cupboard and about to throw the lemon goop out the window.

 

“No!” cried Teardrop saving most of the mess but having to reach half out of the library to do so and immediately being face to face with one of her guards who looked completely ready to lecture her.  Teardrop did not have the time. “Hold that thought.”

 

The librarian ducked back into the library with a swoosh and turned around angrily, only to feel a slight headache coming on because the noise had kicked up a notch.  Her jaw dropped at the pile of food now piled high on her small table while the annoying fairy who had tried to throw her sister’s lemon square out the window bustled around her pantries muttering to herself. 

 

Teardrop slowly started to stalk toward that fairy with the intention to chew her out.  When something like a scream echoed in her library she quickly made her way over the edge putting the lemon square hastily to the side to silence and correct the person making that noise.

 

“She must have thought I was throwing the bread out the window,” the new fairy going through her cupboards said – loudly.  Teardrop, two centimeters from her prey, paused and flew full speed back to the window only to see the plump fairy from before brushing her hands together in satisfaction.  She popped her head out the window only see pieces of her lemon goop all over the guard from before, who glared up at her as Teardrop walked away from the window.  She looked shocked at the scene in front of her.  Loud voices bounced off the walls and fairies everywhere seemed to be pressing on her and a certain invasive fairy was saying her name over and over.  She could feel her power playing against her skin, the power begging to be used against whatever had set her so on edge. 

 

But she didn’t want to get in trouble. Still, she didn’t think she could take much more of this.  She glanced all around her at the chaos and suddenly realized she had to do something.  Tears touched the side of her eyes and she fell to her table, sending an avalanche of food over the edge and bawled.

 

“Teardrop, Teardrop?” she knew someone was calling her name, but all she wanted to do was wallow in self pity until the night when they would all be gone, and then retreat into her archives for a few weeks until the novelty of the library wore out.  Though the thing crawling up her leg was rather annoying and distracting.  She looked through her arms and under a table to see a fairy running a measuring tape up her leg?  


“What are you doing?” asked Teardrop to the odd fairy under her table.  The dark fairy’s voice had become thick and scratchy from crying so long. 

 

“Um, taking your measurements,” the fairy might have had an expression of fear or a soft smile, Teardrop couldn’t really tell, the world was very blurry at that moment.

 

“Why?” asked Teardrop almost sounding dangerous.

 

“For the design.  We found it on the table,” said what sounded like Rosetta. “It’s very good, and we didn’t think you’d actually have the supplies to make it here so Needle agreed to help you out.”

 

“Oh,” said Teardrop with a blink and looked in the general direction of the fairy. “Thank you very much.”

 

“No need,” said Needle sounding lost in her thoughts. “We need to get you out of a leaf right away; no fairy should be forced to wear that when we have plenty of people perfectly capable of making them something.”

 

And Needle flew out of the library.

 

“She’s very serious about her job,” said one of the intruders from the night before… Silvermist she thought. “Are you alright right now Dew Drop?”

 

“It’s Teardrop,” corrected the dark fairy pushing the remnants of tears from her eyes.  The water-talent fairy only smiled lazily at her.

 

“Well, someone is ready to apologize to you,” Teardrop shot a low grade glare at the speaker.  Tinkerbell should be apologizing to her, but from how the tinker had worded it, Teardrop doubted it would actually be her that was doing the apologizing.  Her eyes went to the fairy Tinkerbell pushed forward and with a small smile decided it was almost as good, it was that plump fairy from before.  “Well, go on Ginger.”

 

“I’m sorry that I threw your lemon square thing out the window,” said Ginger, not really sounding that sorry and more like a perturb child. “Though I can’t understand why you would want to keep it.”

 

“Ginger,” scolded Tinkerbell softly and then turned a mostly forced smile to Teardrop. “She really is sorry, and so am I.  I forgot that you hadn’t had contact with fairies for a while and all the noise must have just pushed you over the edge.”

 

“It helped, yes,” said Teardrop dryly, putting her head in her hands. “So, what are you all doing up here?  And where’d all the noise go.”

 

“Well, after you fell apart,” said Rosetta when no one else seemed forthcoming. “We got everyone to first quiet down and then sent them to quietly go in groups to find their sections… which I would suggest you label so someone besides you know what they are.  We sent the classes to the back room, which looked like it was supposed to be your room, and they’re already thinking about turning it into the new school.”

 

“That’s a stupid idea,” said Teardrop bluntly. 

 

“Why?” asked Tinkerbell with an odd question in her eyes.

 

“Because there are young and impressionable fairies in those classes and she thinks that letting them near her is going against some unspoken rule,” said Rosetta flippantly.

 

“I don’t think, I know,” said Teardrop and the garden fairy just rolled her eyes.

 

“We’ve put away the food where we can,” said Tinkerbell and glanced behind her where Ginger seemed to be making something. “Ginger agreed to make some food you can heat up quickly for this week and was actually rather offended that you thought you could get by with just the little you were given.”

 

“There was enough there with the inclusion of the bread to last me a week,” said Teardrop glaring at the fairies back, said fairy snorted.

 

“Six days,” said Ginger. “And that is not enough variety to be healthy.”

 

“I fast on the seventh day,” said Teardrop with a shrug. “Plus, I don’t get sick easily, once a year on average.”

 

“That’s because you weren’t constantly meeting fairies,” said Ginger, her back still to Teardrop.  The dark fairy hardly registered a few of the fairies slipping away now that she was back to her old self. “Now you need to be sure that you get a healthy diet, and I’m going to be regulating it until you get back to a healthy weight.”

 

“What?”

 

“Teary,” Teardrop glared at Tinkerbell to take it back. “Teardrop, you’re not a healthy weight, we can see that.  Ginger here has agreed to slowly get you back to eating healthy and getting a little meat on those bones.”

 

“Why?” asked Teardrop, pretty sure that the baking-talent fairy wouldn’t easily be let out of her duties in her kitchen.

 

“I made Dulcie mad at me when I made a fairy cry who complained about the meal,” said Ginger, she made it sound more like the other fairies fault than her.  Seemed Ginger was proud of her cooking, that would explain the whole lemon square mess. “So, I can’t cook in the kitchen for a while, and Tinkerbell suggested this when I saw her this morning.  I’ll be your coach.  You do have another hammock, right?”

 

“You’re spending the nights?” asked Teardrop in slight horror.

 

“Yeah, to make sure you don’t throw-up and it also makes it easier to get here for all three meals and snacks,” said Ginger, Teardrop glared, Ginger stood her ground, Teardrop sighed, she didn’t have enough energy for this game.

 

“Fine,” she said resentfully and sent a glare Tinkerbell’s way like it was the tinkers fault, which it technically was.  She turned to go find the odd stack of hammocks she had only to do a double take when she noticed the amount of food piled where her cupboards used to be.

 

“Last night and this morning we explained about your predicament and most I guess decided to give you food for using your library,” said Tinkerbell looking happily at the wall of food.

 

“That wasn’t necessary,” said Teardrop, her jaw in danger of coming loose and falling to the ground.

 

“Maybe not, but they wanted to,” said Tinkerbell and smiled at the dark fairy.  Teardrop tried to say something several times and failed.  Finally she gave up and just shook her head in amazement.

 

“I guess I could take away the no food allowed in the library and change it to no sticky food.  I don’t think there’s any way I could eat this by myself,” said Teardrop lacing her arms.

 

“I can help with that,” said Ginger and after a few seconds got to work.  Teardrop made to argue her presence; she was still soar about the fairy throwing her lemon square out the window.

 

“Teardrop,” said two voices behind her and turned to see two mining fairies looking pathetic. “We can’t find our section.”

 

Teardrop stood for a second before moving forward with a “follow me” to the two fairies and preceded to do the part of her job that hadn’t been necessary for quite some time and agreeing that she should probably label the sections.  A small smile touched her lips; maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.  She laughed a little, startling the two and having to apologize to them when she wondered how soon she’d be regretting that thought.  With Tinkerbell around Teardrop at least knew that her life would never be predictable again the horrible monotonous loneliness replaced with a multitude of different personalities that would take forever to work through and if explored would mean she’d never have another boring day.  Though how she was going to see Vidia with fairies around all day.  Which reminded her, what was Tinkerbell doing here so early, didn’t she have work?  She’d have to have a stern word with the Tinker.  And with that happy thought she left the miner-talent fairies in the right section and went to make sure no one was having trouble before going back to her translations. 

 


	9. When Everything's Going So Well

It had been an interesting three weeks, to say the least.  Teardrop had to get use to fairies almost constantly being in her library, making small but, distinct noises.  Ginger had actually declared herself the snack provider for the library and after a week had relocated and built a small shop on top of the library.  It specialized in snacks, but Teardrop had also heard that it was a good place for lunch.  Ginger had finally made it up to Teardrop after the library fairy had told her why the lemon square was important.  Of course, they still didn’t completely understand each other.  Ginger refused to learn to read, so Teardrop couldn’t give her any recipe books, and Ginger seemed convinced that making lemon squares -- anything with lemon in it in fact, would make Teardrop happier if the dark fairy started to look depressed. 

 

Of course since Ginger had firmly planted herself in Teardrop’s life, becoming something like a eating coach and taking an unusual amount of pride in that fact.

 

Vidia no longer came to visit.  So, it was Teardrop’s job to at least once a week show up at the fast flying fairies place and be chased out of the kitchen because Vidia had also decided she liked feeding Teardrop.  Getting to Vidia’s had become quite a fun little game since the guards around Teardrop had been doubled and everyone knew what she looked like and that she was restricted to the library.

 

It had been a close call when some fairies actually noticed she was gone one night and had sent a search party all through the library, including a mining fairy into the archives.  Thankfully, in her true spacey way, when Teardrop had returned from visiting Vidia she had stopped to run her hands over a book written in brail and been found by the frantic mining fairy who dragged her up to the upper level.  Tinkerbell had stood up for her, explained that yes, it was possible that Teardrop had gotten caught up reading in the dark and lose hours of time doing so.  Thankfully no one had reported it to Queen Clarion and later when they had caught her sleeping in the archives after a late night of working and they knew that it wasn’t something to really worry about.

 

“Eat,” said Ginger clattering a plate full of food in front of Teardrop who sent a small glare at the fairies back.  Sighing Teardrop started poking at the stuff.  She was going to get fat she was sure.  How could she go from loving the thought of food for almost a century to dreading it in just three weeks? 

 

She had once mumbled about getting fat during open hours and an adventure-talent fairy had started squeaking about her getting out more until Teardrop’s glare reminded the silly thing who she was talking to.  Instead of fleeing in fear the adventure fairy had mumbled off sounding like she was thinking of making an exercise routine for Teardrop to do inside.  Teardrop found herself often wanting to make the fairies remember why they avoided her before all this, and wondering why they hadn’t directed all this sickeningly kind energy constantly at Vidia who would have to cave under it eventually.

 

“Eat it, you skipped dinner yesterday,” Teardrop glared at Ginger who had gotten her own plate of food.  It was a Saturday, and for some reason Ginger closed up her little kitchen on Saturdays and Sundays to spend with Teardrop and concentrating on solely on making non-sticky or greasy snacks for the people who came into the library. 

 

“I’m not used to this much food,” said Teardrop, unable to say that she had eaten the night before and Vidia had kept making weird faces until she ate it all and then laughed when Teardrop had complained about being to full.  She really needed to get the fast flying fairy back for that.

 

“You should be, I’ve been here for three weeks already,” said Ginger making it sound like she’d been there ages.  Teardrop rolled her eyes used to Ginger’s personality already.  She pushed the food and decided that still didn’t regret the Friday still.  Sure she had full out cried twice that day, but in the end it had turned out to be an alright day that guaranteed she wasn’t lonely for week to come.  She even got her silence once in a while when she did her work on translations and such.  Making all those library cards had been a pain, and she soon had to make slips to put in all the books so she had a record of books that were out and so she didn’t ruin the front of the books.

 

“Yeah, yeah,” said Teardrop continuing to poke at her lunch, she didn’t see Ginger stiffen. “Why do you continue to make my meals like this Ginger?”

 

“Hey, this is great prestige; I get to say that I cooked for one of the most dangerous fairies and I was able to keep my wings I was so good, and you get food by the best cook in Pixie Hollow,” Teardrop snorted as Ginger took her plate to the table.  The baking-talent fairy could be quite conceited when she wanted to.

 

“I made you something,” said Teardrop morosely.  Her meal had the slight tang of lemon. “It’s next to the dust oven.”

 

A little bit of rustling told her Ginger was looking at what Teardrop had made and couldn’t help the baking-talent was being just a little too easy to order around.  Still, without even tasting it she’d assume that Teardrop was as bad at cooking as her sister.  This thought made Teardrop really start destroying the lunch in front of her until it was mush.

 

“A crumble cake?” asked Ginger carefully.

 

“Yup, my specialty,” said Teardrop with a funny smile still playing with her food.  Ginger would usually be scolding her by now.  Was she throwing her cake out of window just like she had thrown her sister lemon square out the window? Maybe it would hit that grumpy guard again.

 

“Wow,” Ginger actually exclaimed and was looking in genuine wonder at her cake.  “This is really good.  If I didn’t know better I’d say you were a baking-talent, I mean that teaching-talent that cooks for you sometimes has this slight off taste, I mean it’s good, but you can tell she’s been probably cooking, for some reason, for herself for a while and that’s why it tastes so good, but you, this is just good.”

 

“That sounds very stuck up of you,” said Teardrop dryly.  If all these people were around her, would her sister dare lose a little face and come and visit her?  Somehow she couldn’t see her doing it, but the ache must be there as strong as ever, not that she would ever admit that.

 

“No, it’s a fact, I mean, it’s like you’re talent, you’re just best at it, so you can tell when – were, are you a baking-talent?” asked Ginger with soft confusion.

 

“Baking-talent?  Well, hehe,” Teardrop started to laugh and she wasn’t sure why, was her throat choking up?  Shouldn’t she be able to tell when she’d about to cry better than this by now?

 

“Fawn, get up here now!” shouted Ginger in a panic, she hated when Teardrop would just start bawling. 

 

Teardrop only had time to blink before she was overcome and rolling on the ground.

 

“Fawn,” said Teardrop in a slight whine.  Why was this generation of fairies so incredibly weird?

 

“Hey Teardrop,” said Fawn happily with the oddest smile.  Teardrop just gave her one of her deadpan frowns that the fairy had gotten used to over the past few weeks.

 

Teardrop stood with the antsy fairy shifting from foot to foot and brushed off her outfit, something that was exceedingly more comfortable than her leaf and looked up at Fawn.  In the end Rosetta had chosen not to tell the fairy what had almost killed her, and oddly enough Fawn hadn’t pushed the issue.  Instead, after finding out Rosetta had learned the answer from Teardrop, Fawn had made Teardrop something like her older wiser mentor of a friend.  She adored Teardrop and the poor dark fairy couldn’t even start to imagine why. She had even resorted to some of her more mischievous trick and that hadn’t even been able to stop the fairies affections.

 

The weirdest thing about Fawn’s affections was that Rosetta wasn’t at all perturbed by them and would often even encourage the odd attachment that Fawn was making with Teardrop.  It wasn’t that Rosetta disliked her again, but there was, and always would be a barrier between them.  Rosetta would only come to the library on occasion and only stay long enough to find a friend or a book.  She would talk with Teardrop usually, and they would exchange pleasantries, but in the end they weren’t any closer for it. 

 

“And I wanted you to meet him!” said Fawn as Teardrop returned from her musings, and was instantly suspicious. 

 

“Meet who?” she asked.  Fawn rolled her eyes and Fawn was reminded why the girl wasn’t constantly around her.  Fawn by nature couldn’t sit still, the animal-talent had learned how to read, but she didn’t have any real interest in the task, and would only take out the occasional book.  Teardrop at the moment was holding her library card because the last book came back with mud smeared on it, and Fawn telling her she’d found a use for the thing after not being able to find the time to read.  So, that meant that Fawn spent most her time trying to find a way to legally get her outside to see all her cute baby animals, while Teardrop told her that no she couldn’t bring them into the library.

 

“Weren’t you listening?” asked Fawn with sagging shoulder and then sighed when and rolled her eyes when Teardrop crossed her arms and glared. “Come and see him.”

 

Teardrop found herself dragged over to the edge of her loft and looking in horror down at a small garden mouse that had started to attract the attention of a few of the fairies.  Teardrop just stared at it for a moment before turning oh so slowly toward the annoying animal talent.

 

“Fawn,” drawled out Teardrop angrily making Fawn back up with her arms folded at the elbows and pointed up with a guilty smile.

 

“He’s really tame, and I really thought that you’d like to meet him,” said Fawn and then looked so hopeful that Teardrop almost caved, but didn’t allow the slip to show on her face especially when a cry went up, wood rocked, and a flutter of books caught her ears.  Teardrop turned back to that the mouse was hitting its head against one of her shelves, she cast an annoyed glare at Fawn, who smiled and then dropped her head, and flew down to confront said cute but destructive garden mouse.

 

“There, there, away from the…” Teardrop’s eyes widened in slight horror as the mouse turned softly toward her, a book in its mouth.  She walked up to it, keeping her friendly smile, and carefully took the book from its mouth.  She let the book go, and thankfully it was only scuffed a little from the ordeal and was able to quickly get to another shelf. 

 

Teardrop turned back to the mouse, whom she praised and cooed at and who looked at her with understanding eyes and a twitching nose until Teardrop just collapsed in tears on the things neck.

 

When she finally came back to the real world, she did so more quickly than usual, because someone was holding rose nectar under her nose and she greedily grasped at it and chugged it down before Ginger could stop her.  When she finally smacked her lips happily the cup was taken and refilled and Teardrop looked up to thank whoever it was only to see Ginger holding another cup at her.

 

“I thought you didn’t like me drinking,” said Teardrop, now sipping at her liquor delicately with the knowledge it wouldn’t be whisked away.

 

“I don’t, but since Fawn did the opposite of what she was supposed to, I thought this would be something to keep you from being a downer the next hour,” said Ginger with a hand on her hip.  Teardrop gave her a smirk and stood up as the mouse started to move toward the door.

 

“Gave up on trying to give me lemons?” asked Teardrop teasingly. 

 

“It just makes it start all over again,” said Ginger with an irritated sigh.

 

“So, I get to drink every once a week at least, goody,” said Teardrop staring into her drink happily, knowing that Ginger was rolling her eyes at her.  She had to be careful not to let a drop fall when Fawn tackled her in the middle in a very violent hug.

 

“Don’t cry on purpose Teardrop, you already do it enough and alcohol isn’t good for you,” said Fawn and then with a bright smile zipped out of the library door, probably to return the poor mouse back to its home.

 

“Psychotic,” muttered Teardrop watching Fawn’s retreat.

 

“You are not one to judge,” said Ginger, Teardrop sent her a mock glare that went ignored. “Looks like we’re getting low on dandelion puff, I’ll whip up some more with that stupid ladel thing that Bobble gave you yesterday.”

 

Teardrop rolled her eyes, but she had books to locate and to check out the bookshelf and make sure it was still safe.  At least it wouldn’t be hard to find a carpentry fairy to fix it up if the mouse had made it unstable.  It looked alright.  She wondered if Tinkerbell would be coming by.  The tinker no longer stopped by every day, she came almost everyday, but there were times when she could be gone three days in a row.  It was nice, she still wasn’t sure what to make of Tinkerbell, and many times she had just started crying in the girls practice and not explained herself. 

 

Tinkerbell was a friend, not like Vidia, Vidia was still the most important, but Tinkerbell was someone Teardrop would miss once she gone.  The other had this ability to draw Teardrop out by unconsciously guilting the dark fairy to talk to her, until Teardrop wanted to demand if Tinkerbell really was that ignorant, but she didn’t like talking about her past.  She didn’t like talking that much either, especially when she was working, Tinkerbell liked to make herself the exception to that rule.

 

“Teardrop, where’s the thing on Queen Bright?” called a voice that Teardrop schooled her features into a neutral smile.

 

“She should be in the queen section,” said Teardrop and walked up to the two young fairies standing there and flourished her hand to the side. “I’ll take you to it and on the way; perhaps I can suggest a better queen to read about?”

 

It really wasn’t that she didn’t want them to know her history, it would give them a better perspective of the danger they were putting themselves in.  She didn’t think that Queen Bright was a good queen to study for someone to look up to, she never would.  The two could read about what happened on the books written on Clarion’s early life, and she would have suggested it if the queen hadn’t insisted all those books be stored in one of the dark corners of the archives.  Teardrop had done it but thought the queen was silly.  No one would blame the light/dust fairy, she had done her job, had done her best, and always had supported the queen.  The information in those books might just make her a greater leader because of the sacrifice.  But in all fairness, she didn’t want to remember, and anyone who read those books would have questions, and sometimes it was easier to pretend the hurt just didn’t exist.

 

\---

 

Tinkerbell finally fixed the pulley system with a small inward cheer.  She wanted to get working on her net invention for winter, and this job had taken up a significant amount of her time.  She happily flew to her work place and drew the three books she needed in front of her and the four pages of notes and designs so she could start getting serious.  She was about to start getting the supplies she’d need when she heard Queen Clarion and a nervous Fairy Mary.

 

“I’m just not so sure Fairy Mary,” Queen Clarion admitted with a sad shake of her head. “I know how she can be, deceitful and careful, and I doubt she likes me very much at the moment or even Pixie Hollow, and now so many fairies are seeing her?  I don’t think this will end well at all.”

 

“She’s connected to Pixie Hollow, I doubt that she would do anything against it no matter what you did, and I don’t think she could ever hate you,” said Fairy Mary soothingly, though her wings quivered behind her.

 

“You’d be surprised what she feels and how conflicted every emotion is.  She, no she wouldn’t… you don’t understand, I thought I understood her before and she was still able to turn against Queen Bright, she was still able to hurt us all with her rash actions,” said Queen Clarion and Tinkerbell slowly walked forward to get a better view.

 

“But she can’t do anything against you, that would be… Tinkerbell what are you doing here?” asked Fairy Mary with a forced smile and Tinkerbell flew carefully forward without a slight smile.

 

“Sorry, you were talking sort of loudly,” said Tinkerbell halfway apologetic.  Queen Clarion smiled kindly. 

 

“That’s understandable, was there anything you needed young one?” she asked with a small smile and Tinkerbell found herself shifting uncomfortably.

 

“Well, not so much for me, but… I don’t understand,” said Tinkerbell with a sigh.

 

“What’s confusing you?” asked Queen Clarion floating with kind concern, and Tinkerbell licked her lips nervously and tried to ignore Fairy Mary’s signaling that she was pretty sure telling her that if it had anything to do with Teardrop, Tinkerbell would do better not to mention it.

 

“Were, you talking about Teardrop just now?” asked Tinkerbell making Fairy Mary sag with obvious resignation.  Queen Clarion looked a little shocked and then serious.

 

“Yes, and from what I hear you’re one of my main reasons for worrying,” said Queen Clarion strictly, Tinkerbell held her ground.

 

“There’s no reason to worry,” said Tinkerbell and then stomped her feet when Queen Clarion tried to intervene. “Teardrop isn’t dangerous, I know she made mistakes and that some of her beliefs are a little twisted, but she’s really just a sweet fairy who has trouble expressing herself or trusting people.  I swear, if she was just given a chance she would show you that she’s good.  She’s just awkward… and she needs a little guidance.”

 

“She needs to be forgotten,” snapped Queen Clarion making Tinkerbell jump at its venom.  The queen sighed and looked up at Tinkerbell, begging her with her gaze to understand. “Tinkerbell, I know Teardrop can be a very convincing liar, but you have to understand, she needs to remain in there, she is too much of a liability to be let out.  If there was any chance that she could have been accepted back into the community she would have by now.”

 

“But Queen Clarion,” said Tinkerbell trying to ignore how desperate and disjointed the queen was talking about Teardrop. “She’s not that bad.  She just… says stupid things to try and push fairies away and likes her space.  Please, all you need to do is give her a chance, she’s sure to prove herself worthy.”

 

“No, I grew up with her Tinkerbell, I know her well and I will always give her a chance, and her answer will always be the same,” said Queen Ree firmly. 

 

“Rosetta also grew up during her time, she’s forgiven her, I mean, they don’t exactly… well, Rosetta goes to the library now,” said Tinkerbell and then smiled quickly as if that would cover up her tripping.  “I mean, maybe just make her sister spend time with her if you really think that she should decide, but them avoiding each other isn’t helping, I mean, I now it’s hurting Teardrop, it has to be hurting her also.”

 

“You don’t understand!” practically shouted Queen Clarion, glowing brightly.  Immediately she blushed lightly and sighed and reigned in her temper. “Tinkerbell, you can’t judge Teardrop like other fairies, she knows how to twist her words and how to gain trust and break it just as easily.”

 

“But she didn’t kill Queen Bright,” said Tinkerbell imploringly.

 

“No, she didn’t,” agreed Queen Clarion with a touch of danger. “Is that what she told you?  Is that why you think she’s harmless, because I can tell you now that she left out a very important part of that explanation.  While it is true that a fairy cannot kill another fairy, Teardrop was not ignorant of that fact when she attacked Pixie Hollow.  She knew that she couldn’t kill Queen Bright, but she also knows that you can kill a fairy. 

 

“We worked with a dust fairy, one that Teardrop was close to, called Sunshine.  The fairy was wrinkled and deformed she couldn’t fly and it hurt for her to walk.  She had been drenched in tar; she had come close to never waking up.  Because that is possible, with enough skill and force a fairy can put another into a permanent state of sleep.  The fairy isn’t dead but she is too hurt to even wake up.”

 

“She wouldn’t…” said Tinkerbell, but couldn’t finish that thought, because Tinkerbell could still see Teardrop saying that if given the chance Teardrop would still rise up against Queen Bright, still do all in her power to overcome her.

 

“Tinkerbell, please, stop going to visit her, tell others to stop going also and move the school back where it should be.  Teardrop is dangerous at best, and I know she has enough tar in her possession to do serious damage if she wants,” said Queen Clarion. “I don’t want any of my fairies harmed because we have forgiven someone… someone without a heart.”

 

“She has a heart!” shouted Tinkerbell and then looked down at her hands for the words she needed to convince the queen. “She lives for her books that she’s taken on as her talent, she hurts, she cries – a lot.” Clarion rolled her eyes completely unconvinced by this admission. “She laughs, and takes her job too seriously.  She likes quiet and adores food.  She can’t figure out why Bobble keeps giving her warped tools and odds that he spends all night trying to make perfect but also unique.  She has a horrible sweet touch and love of nectar.  She can’t understand why people want to be around her and as much as she tries to push people away she also lets them in, especially if they’re seeing under the pretense of coming to the library.  She lives and breathes, and works and craves just like the rest of us.”

 

“I know she does, that’s the reason I didn’t have her tied and gagged and thrown into a cell made a mile under Pixie Hollow,” said Queen Clarion angrily.

 

“I would hope that you would have practically killed her sister if you’d done that,” said Tinkerbell, she had done a little research on the topic.

 

“Her sister would have understood,” said Queen Clarion flatly. “And I would have done it if someone hadn’t pointed out that with the ruby necklace she was useless, and that she would be of more use just locked up in that library.”

 

“You would have ruined two fairies lives just because of a grudge?” demanded Tinkerbell.  Queen Clarion suddenly looked furious.

 

“It was much more than that.  She betrayed us, all of us, there has never been, the entirety of fairy history there hasn’t been someone who committed even an act half as evil as that,” said Queen Clarion strongly.

 

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” said Tinkerbell firmly and then shook herself when she saw Queen Clarion ready to defend her choice. “Asking her a question that has no more meaning doesn’t count.  Have her sister instead if she’ll rise up against you, because I know what the answer would be.”

 

“What she thinks of me is inconsequential,” said Queen Clarion between clenched teeth.

 

“It’s everything to her, well, everything that isn’t her sister and food,” said Tinkerbell with a flourish of her arms. “She cares about Pixie Hollow; she wants what’s best for it and its people.  She knows you’re a good queen and care about every talent.  She often refers to you as the best thing that happened, though she scoffs at you ever letting her go or coming by.”

 

“Queen Clarion,” Clank came and gave the queen a surprised hug.  Bobble dragged him away with an embarrassed smile.

 

“Hello Milady, you look a bit stressed,” said Bobble with a little concern, and who then wilted under the disapproving glare that the Queen Clarion looked down on him.

 

“I’ve heard that you’ve visiting Teardrop,” Tinkerbell shivered, she’d never heard the queen sound so severe.  Bobble flinched and looked down at the ground guiltily. 

 

“Oh yeah,” said Clank happily, completely missing the tense atmosphere. “She’s a nice lady.  Kinda scary when we first met her.  She’s got a good hand with tinkering, but she sent us out in a hurry because we dropped kettles all over her library, and she hates things like that.”

 

“What do you mean she sent you out in a hurry?” asked Queen Clarion carefully.  Clank smiled brightly, only to happy to accommodate.  Bobble put a hand to the big guys chest and strained a smile.

 

“Nothing, just pushed out,” said Bobble, why was the other tinker lying, and badly at that.

 

“Some push,” scoffed Clank. “She sent us out with a gust of wind, like a fast flying fairy, which is kind of funny because the way she fixed the kettle I would have thought she was a tinker.”

 

Queen Clarion’s eyes were large with something akin to horror.  Her hand clutched at her right wrist and she closed her eyes and her expression became blank.  Even Clank seemed to have realized something and was watching the queen, waiting to see what she would do.  Queen Clarion’s eyes opened and they had become determined and hard.

 

“Fairy Mary, come with me,” she said softly and all the fairies took a small flutter away from the ice in the queen voice. “You three stay here, I’ll deal with you later.”

 

“What did I say?” asked Clank as they watched the two older fairies fly away.

 

“You gave her the information she needed but didn’t want,” said Bobble ominously.

 

“We should go after them,” said Tinkerbell, still a little shell shocked.

 

“But Queen Clarion said to stay,” said Clank and Bobble nodded though with sadder eyes.

 

“Whatever me and Clank said, I’m pretty sure that it got Teardrop in trouble, and she deserves to have us come and try to make things right for her, to try and stop Queen Clarion from making a mistake,” said Tinkerbell and then turned to her friends.

 

“Right,” said Clank. “But what will happen to her if we don’t.”

 

“She’ll be locked in the dark,” said Bobble with a small shy.  Clank’s face became determined.

 

“Well then,” he said bustily. “We should go save her.”

 

Clank took off and Tinkerbell realized they’d have to go to stop Clank from doing anything over the top.  Clank could have a very single-minded determination when he wanted to do, and it’d be nice if he didn’t become the next librarian as punishment for attacking the queen and making off with Teardrop.  Tinkerbell and Bobble shared a glance, turned to where Clank’s form was slowly disappearing, and after a few second took off after him.

 


	10. The Forms of Betrayal

They didn’t fly that quickly toward the Home Tree and the library.  Clank soon became out of breath and for some reason Tinkerbell and Bobble were not in a hurry to get to the library.  Though they couldn’t quite put words as to the reason why.

 

“What’s wrong with you three?” asked Rosetta suddenly appearing in front of them.  Or at least that’s what it seemed like to Tinkerbell, but the other two fairies seemed to anticipate her and looked nonplus at the fact Rosetta had suddenly appeared in front of them. 

 

“Queen Clarion found out Teardrop could still use her talents,” said Bobble morosely and started forward again.

 

“She can still use her…” Rosetta smiled and then sighed under Bobble’s soft glare. “Alright, well, I mean, what can she do?”

 

“Tie her up and throw her in a mining cell a mile under Pixie Hollow,” said Tinkerbell with an angry frown and kicked her foot against the ground.  Rosetta froze, literally, her eyes wide.

 

“She can’t do that, it would be suicide,” said Rosetta worriedly.

 

“Well, a sort of murder,” said Tinkerbell. “What’s suicide?”

 

“We have to stop her, now!” said Rosetta furiously.  Tinkerbell found herself straining to keep up with her friend.

 

When they arrived at the library the very door looked darker and every eye seemed turned half in its direction toward the harsh sounds of a heated argument.  They stayed outside the door, even Rosetta’s resolve had waivered against open the door.  Bobble ended up being the one to push forward.  Clarion and Teardrop were glaring, Clarion righteous and Teardrop looked torn, while Fairy Mary and the other leaders of the seasons were up against the wall trying to look firm and failing. 

 

It was understandable since there was an unnatural clash of sweltering hot and icy cold.  The air was sparking dry and wet, light and dark.  The odd combination of opposites was stifling and Tinkerbell could only make her way a few centimeters forward before the need to run out back into the fresh air almost overwhelmed her and had her running in that directions.

 

“You can’t!” shouted Teardrop as Tinkerbell actually started paying attention to the argument.

 

“I have to, you’re dangerous,” said Clarion strongly though her light seemed to attack Teardrop as the dark fairy tried to duck away from it.

 

“I’ve been dangerous since the day you fluttering were revived with dust.  And you glittering well knew it!” said Teardrop empathically. 

 

“I didn’t know for sure,” said Queen Clarion with a proud flourish.

 

“Oh, tar water Ree, you fluttering knew it,” said Teardrop with an exaggerated roll of her eyes. “You can’t do it, I won’t allow you.”

 

“You can’t stop me,” said Queen Clarion and walked toward Teardrop who backed up.

 

“I don’t want to hurt you and you, by the pirates, know it.  But I won’t let you do this, I will not be put away in the dark away from the talents,” said Teardrop with an angry hiss.

 

“You have to be put away,” said Clarion. “You’re dangerous.”

 

“And tell me, sister, what does that make you?  A pretty and unassuming princess?” demanded Teardrop and Tinkerbell’s eyes widened. “You have just as much power, just as much chance of being – dangerous.”

 

“You have taken that role, it will no longer be mine,” spat Clarion.

 

“It never was yours,” snapped Teardrop. “I am the one to move, to attack, it is yours to stand there and be strong, but why – why even now do you let Queen Bright hold more meaning in your eyes than me?  She is dead and gone, and as much as we both want it, it is not my fault.”

 

“I always protected you, thinking that you were like me and that you actually would care about something more than something that wasn’t yourself,” said Clarion with a high head and a sad glare.

 

“I do care, that was the reason I tried to throw that stupid pirate from her spot as Queen.  The only fairies that thing cared about were light fairies, you were the obvious choice as a better queen that I should have thought of if that stupid feather hadn’t separated us for so long,” said Teardrop pulling at her head and almost doubled over. “You are the perfect shield Ree, you always have been; but like I can only half use you, you don’t seem to know at all how to use me.”

 

“You are not to be used, that would mean you were a tool and your mind is too sharp to be used in that way,” said Clarion with a slight glare and Teardrop snorted.

 

“It’s good to know that you’re mind can be just as sharp and cruel as mine,” said Teardrop with a smile that made Tinkerbell shiver though she couldn’t place it.

 

“I am not cruel,” said Clarion irritably. “I’m just stating the obvious.”

 

“Many would say that it is cruel,” said Teardrop with a twisted lip. “When you can look into a fairies soul and see that in them.  It means that you are slightly more – twisted than most fairies who are too innocent to see others as weapons, to see others as only a danger.”

 

“I have you as my sister, I learned fast enough,” growled Clarion and Teardrop scoffed as if she wasn’t already in enough trouble.

 

“I have advice for you Ree, you may be a good queen but when it comes to me your council is decidingly off and you begin to act like a paranoid human corrupted king,” hissed Teardrop.

 

“No matter what you call me I still cannot allow you to remain above ground, not when even rubies cannot control your power,” said Clarion and her power started to well up behind Teardrop who looked at it and then sneered.

 

“I will not let you do this to us Ree, I will not let Pixie Hollow fall because you feel that above all else you must protect the fairies from a part of yourself,” said Teardrop, her back pressed to her books and her knees bent. “There are worse dangers than me in Never Land.”

 

“I only can see you now Teardrop, and you have an easy remedy,” said Queen Clarion drawing her magic to her core.  Tinkerbell looked see that shadows seemed to be licking the fairies body, consuming the dark fairy into her element.

 

“No, sister, because it would also drag you in,” Teardrop’s voice echoed as if she were drifting away. “You better hope that you reconsider this decision, dear sister, before I decide to leave Pixie Hollow and ruin us all.”

 

Queen Clarion lunged forward, but it was too late.  The shadows scattered under the light queen’s rays but her hands were empty.  Somehow, in that second, Teardrop had gotten away or somehow in that darkness had been gone long ago.  It wasn’t certain.  Now the queen stood there, her head bowed with a heavy heart and guilt touching the side of her closed eyes.  Her fingers clenched and loosened in fists as if trying to find her sisters essence in the shadows they grasped at only seconds before.

 

When the queen finally opened her eyes, Tinkerbell had to hold back a gasp.  There was nothing there.  As Queen Clarion stared a head, face blank and mind numb, Tinkerbell was reminded of Teardrop, how after a confrontation like that the dark fairy would be visibly holding back tears of sadness, remorse, and anger.  It scared her that the apparent enemy would show more empathic reactions than the queen did.  It scared her to think that Teardrop had left her library and was alone and thinking that the whole of Pixie Hollow was against her.  It saddened her to realize there was a good chance that she’d never be able to reassure the odd fairy that one day she’d be forgiven and want to take the hurt away every time the chestnut curls moved against her head as she rejected the idea.  It hurt to know she was crying somewhere without Ginger making a big deal and trying to figure out the food it would take to make her happy again.

 

“How?” asked Tinkerbell drawing everyone to look at the tinker-talent as she grasped for the idea and answer.

 

“How could she fly out?” asked Queen Clarion, with a slightly bitter smile. “She…”

 

“I know why she flew out,” said Tinkerbell testily and glared at her queen. “You threatened to lock her away where she’d never see the sun or another fairy or be of use, any fairy would resist that fate no matter how much you think you both deserve it.  What I don’t understand is how she is as dangerous as you claim.  She was afraid of you and she didn’t even strike back even with all her power swelling around us.”

 

Clarion looked at her with disappointment and Tinkerbell found herself unable to look the queen in the eyes anymore and looked away from the queen.  She heard Queen Clarion sigh and the older fairy seemed to pull herself together, her anger returning inside her, as if saving it to throw at her sister.

 

“Fairy Mary, all of you, gather every fairy in Pixie Hollow.  I need to talk to everyone and warn them.  This is my fault, I thought that if I left it alone that everyone would come to their senses… but this has gotten out of hand and I never should have allowed my own personal needs to get in the way of doing the right thing.”

 

“But Queen Clarion,” said Rosetta coming toward the light fairy.

 

“Rosetta, I don’t understand how you could let her trick you,” said the queen coming right up to the garden fairy.  Rosetta gulped and looked away.  Clarion then looked at Bobble and sighed. “I’m sorry Bobble, I realize that I should have pulled you away as soon as I heard.  You have to understand my sister…”

 

“Saved my life,” said Bobble not looking at Queen Ree. “She loved you and she cared.”

 

Queen Clarion sighed and shook her head. “She went mad when she gathered all her talents together, and I could feel it.  What will happen when she decides that someone is not needed or is dangerous to Pixie Hollow?”

 

“She has a kind heart,” snapped Bobble and Tinkerbell was surprised by his furiousity.  “The only thing that broke her in the end was being cut off from everything including you.  The only thing that you will achieve by this is either in repeating history or destroying yourself in the process.”

 

 “Bobble,” said Queen Clarion with a sigh. “She’s my sister, my other half, I know how she thinks.”

 

“Maybe instead of assuming you know her you should actually try and understand your sister,” said Bobble. “Just because she’s your opposite doesn’t mean she isn’t also you.  Doesn’t mean that she’s not also kind, doesn’t mean she doesn’t care about the fairies of Pixie Hollow.  You two really aren’t that different if you think about it; in the end you both have only a little reservation to sacrificing a fairy the better of all the fairies.”

 

“I would suggest that you hold your tongue Bobble about things you truly have no knowledge about,” said Queen Clarion, glowing a little red under her anger.  Bobble quickly scampered back, but still looked furious with the queen and seemed to sink into the darkness himself. 

 

“Queen Clarion,” said Tinkerbell trying to ignore the slight squeak in her voice and hastily tried to clear it. “I think you’re taking this too personally still.  Maybe it’s time let us decide, we have a fresh view on the situation, because we didn’t know – maybe we proved that she’s to be trusted.”

 

Queen Clarion sighed and floated over to Tinkerbell and looked down on the fairy with disappointment and almost what would sad relief.

 

“I know it’s hard to believe, living here with fairies is rather… easy, even when we see the cruelty of human’s we are blind to it, and though many become a little disillusioned, fairies do not need to be born with the ability to understand the crueler sides of life, our worst fears lie in death, and many don’t even start contemplating it until later and their lives.  No kills over it, there are petty thefts, no one violates each other, and no one purposefully or at least seriously harms another.  It’s not in our nature to even acknowledge many of these acts.  But as queen I have to know on some level.  And that’s I suppose, where I agree with you Bobble,” the queen turned to look at the sulking sparrow fairy. “She does understand these things; she sees the possibility of it all around her.  But unlike me, my sister has embraced these evils as something necessary, and believes that they are sometimes what’s needed instead of recognizing what it really is.”

 

“But,” Rosetta placed a silencing hand on Tinkerbell’s shoulder and shook her head.  Queen Clarion sighed and started floating toward the door, no clothes foot lightly tapping against the library floor.

 

“I will be making my announcement in an hour’s time,” said the Queen her tone completely composed and filled with false compassion. “I would suggest waiting here until that time, and to tell any friends that miss it the information that I cover.  I would rather not have any of my fairies put at risk because of some silly belief in someone that you have not given the proper time to learn everything about.”

 

And the Queen left, her subjects watched, none of them looked particularly impressed with her final decree.  Bobble even refused to come out of the dark corner for a time, and Tinkerbell learned that for some reason the silly thing hadn’t been going to get his daily magic refill for a few days.  So they all made a big deal of scolding the poor scapegoat, who, at least for a time, was distracted from the sentence soon to be placed on Teardrop’s head.

 

It was something difficult to wrap a tiny mind around.  Tinkerbell found herself staring into the pit of gold dust, of magic, looking for the black magic, or tar, or ink, depending on the era or use that the black gunk was in.  She couldn’t see it, was there none in there right now?  Teardrop had been speaking true when she said that black magic wasn’t found often.  Terrance would only pause in his work once in a while to take the black stuff out of the dust and spend the rest of the day combing through the pixie dust that he could get into, until deciding he had really gotten all of it.  Had there been a time when there was such a bad leak in the black magic that they had to cart it away in huge vats?  But weren’t Teardrop’s vats proof of that possibility. 

 

“Hey Tink, you holding up okay?” asked Terrance, placing a gentle hand on Tinkerbell’s shoulder.  Tinkerbell forced a smile and looked up at the concerned dust fairy.

 

“Yeah, sorta just want to get this over with,” said Tinkerbell and returned her gaze to the glowing dust. “Is there any use for black magic?”

 

“Sure,” said Terrance with a smile. “Scholars have found a very pointed use for it.  Sure they have to be careful, but if handled right anything can be useful.”

 

Tinkerbell nodded.

 

“Why would someone forget that?” asked Tinkerbell wrapping her arms around her knees.  Terrance sighed.

 

“Once something that has a dangerous potential to it, like a kitchen knife, some people the first time they cut themselves, especially if they’re young enough, hate them or fear them for the rest of their lives,” said Terrance and then shrugged. “If you look into human history you’ll see more of it, or you’ll see more prominently I suppose, here in Pixie Hollow it tends to be a lot more superficial.”

 

“What, the fear of kitchen knives?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Well, no, fearing things that prove to have a dangerous quality to them.  I mean, you can find them, but humans stories are better at learning how someone of the same… species can place and fear a group of single person,” said Terrance, and then looked up, as if hoping Tinkerbell understood.  It took a moment but Tinkerbell’s mouth opened in a silent ‘oh’ and she flew, her intent on the human section of the library.  She stopped abruptly and turned back toward Terrance.

 

“Thank you!” she called with a bright smile.  He waved at her with an amused smile and Tinkerbell was off toward the library in a flash.

 

It wasn’t until she was almost too close to stop that she realized it was impossible.  The front of the library was bared and guarded by sparrow men.  Tinkerbell leaned against a root of the Home Tree and tried to understand. The library wasn’t dangerous, not if Teardrop wasn’t in it.  It had served as a prison, why would Teardrop return, and if she did wouldn’t it be more reasonable to have a trap inside?  The books weren’t dangerous; they didn’t have a lurking evil inside them.  They had black magic, but it had been dried and thus virtually harmless. 

 

“Fairies of Pixie Hollow,” Tinkerbell turned to see Queen Clarion with Fira glowing brightly at her side. “Gather round.”

 

A flurry of small voices, most of them confused spread across the field until most of the fairies not knowing the situation and confused as to why their queen sounded so strained.  Soon they were all in the air most at the queen’s level, fluttering in place in a semi-circle facing the queen who had her eyes closed and her expression grave.

 

“I have bad news, a dangerous fairy has gotten free of her prison in our library and for this I apologize,” but the last few words were drowned out by frantic whispering of the other fairies.  A dangerous fairy, was that even possible?  What in the world was library?  A prisoner, like the dragon?  She wasn’t talking about Teardrop right, that fairy could be strict but in the end she cried too much to be of any real danger?  Words and questions were whispered between groups and Tinkerbell watched and found her friends, people who had become close to the dark fairy not long after her.

 

Silvermist was biting her lips, not quite looking at the queen.  Bobble appeared to be restrained by Clank, not hard, and only so he didn’t just leave.  Rosetta looked a little flippant about the whole thing, though her nose was scrunched and her arms crossed.  Iridesa looked confused and nervous once in a while turning toward the sound of her fellow light fairies voices.  Ginger looked irritated, her café had probably been closed along with the library, she probably also thought the entire things was stupid. Fawn had her fists clenched at her side and a stubborn glint her eyes that said she’d defend Teardrop to the end.  She probably wouldn’t say a word the entire meeting.

 

Tinkerbell’s eyes traveled to Vidia for some reason.  The fast flying fairies arms were crossed and her expression twisted in her normal sneer.  Still, she seemed to be here not to rip Teardrop apart, her expression looked more disgusted than usual.  Tinkerbell remembered Vidia’s and Teardrop’s confrontations.  They weren’t ever nice, but Vidia could never be described as nice.  Their meetings were usually peppered by sharp insults and Vidia hadn’t stopped by that often but for a few books to try and convince people that pirates of all things were coming.  Vidia liked confronting Teardrop, Tinkerbell was sure of that, the fast flying fairy always made it a point to track down Teardrop and demand ridiculous things of her.  Teardrop would smile oddly and then both of them would try to find the most oddly polite, most cutting ways to insult each other.  And Tinkerbell knew Teardrop well enough to know she liked these rare instances where her wit and barbs were tested.

 

“Quiet,” most fairies jumped at the severity from their queen. “Listen, I know some of you have come to know, or think you know my sister, but don’t let her crocodile tears confuse you.  Teardrop is not someone who you want to become close to, she is not, by nature, soft and passive, and she is in no way harmless.  Just as I am connected to Pixie Hollow, so is she.  She knows everything that goes on, she knows our weaknesses and she is open to taking advantage of them.  Not only that she is not bound by a single talent, not even two; she has ability and innate skill for all of them.”

 

A light gasp went through the entire audience.  And frightened whispers quickly died off under the queen’s glare.

 

“We must use all our wit and skill to hunt her down.  I have only found now that she has retained the ability of all talents even though they should have been bound by the rubies around her neck.  If anyone sees her, or think they see her, do not pursue her alone, she will have no qualms hurting you, even at the expense of your wings.  Fly in groups, I’ll have guards on the constant lookout for her…”

 

“You’re not concerned about the right thing!” shouted Vidia finally losing her patience. “Don’t you understand, pirates are coming, not the ones from the Main Land!  They’ll be here and destroy all of us while you worry about something that is half your soul, something you should have addressed long before it came to this, before…”

 

Vidia’s and everyone else’s eyes widened in shock at the slap that resounded in the quiet air.  No one dared move and even the constant hum of wings seemed to be thundering against the air.  Vidia backed away from the queen, red cheek in hand looking stunned.  Queen Clarion looked down upon the selfish fairy who had been trying to help protect Pixie Hollow. 

 

“Vidia this not a time to try to regain some favor, what needs to take president…” said Queen Clarion and Vidia turned on her hard.

 

“You need to get your head out of your bum and see that you’re sister isn’t the real problem here,” hissed Vidia. “I’m not trying to get back into your favor but I refuse to see my home destroyed because you won’t see past something that happened a century ago.”

 

“You do not understand,” said Queen Clarion and pointed over her shoulder. “Go, I will have someone make sure that you understand later.”

 

Vidia looked shocked.  And then looked away.

 

“Don’t blame me when they attack and you’re too busy chasing someone more interested in getting back in your favor and our home is destroyed,” said Vidia and flew off in a blur of purple.

 

“Clarion,” said a hesitant fairy who had started a few days ago spending her afternoons in the library seeing as she was a teaching-talent. “Is Teardrop really that dangerous?”

 

“When she was born she knew all the talents were hers, more so when they glowed around her it was almost as bright as the sun itself,” said Queen Clarion with a sigh.

 

“But you’re more powerful than her, right?” asked leader of Spring.  Queen looked away and his eyes widened, all of them knew the answer, but not even Tinkerbell could believe.

 

“No,” said the Queen and turned away.  Tinkerbell was sure the next words carried on the wind only half of them received. “But she isn’t more powerful than me.”

 

Tinkerbell watched her disappear in the Home Tree and watched with a detached shock the seasons following the queen close behind.  Groups of fairies slowly broke off and Tinkerbell soon found herself surrounded by friends, all of whom were looking for a slightly different type of support from each other.

 

“All right you lot, I think it’s time we get this sorted out,” the fairies looked to see Fairy Mary dragging a sour looking Ginger and a fighting Vidia. “I think it’s time to square away exactly happened.  Time to tell you all Queen Clarion’s and Teardrop’s birth and Teardrop’s betrayal.”

 

That got all their attention.  Ginger sniffed but her eyes flicked over to Fairy Mary, even Vidia stopped struggling.  Fairy Mary led them to a clear spot near the Home Tree and sat the fairies around in a layered circle around her, Vidia closest as she didn’t trust her enough to not fly away.  A few fairies joined in interest, some ones that Tinkerbell couldn’t remember taking a step in the library, but this was an odd topic.  Tinkerbell herself was interested. She wanted a clear story to connect the detached pieces of information she was able to garner through the week.

 

Fairy Mary sighed and gathered her resolve to tell the story.  When she opened her eyes the seriousness of it was reflected in her eyes.  She began simply, with a baby’s first laugh and one red and one brown maple leaves being carried to Pixie Hollow while it was still under Queen Bright’s reign. 

 

 


	11. A Sister's Strife

“They were special, born together by the same laugh.  Sometimes we get ones born of two laughs and they arrive almost at the same time, but these two were so obviously sisters it was almost ridiculous.  I wasn’t there, hadn’t been born yet, but I’m told that if you looked at them you never would have guessed the actions that would transpire a few months later,” said Fairy Mary with a sad sigh.

 

“Queen Clarion was brilliant, a star and beautiful in her red dress,” said Rosetta her mind trying to remember what she had been told. “Teardrop was hiding behind her skirts, and was instantly afraid of everything but her sister, and especially cautious of Queen Bright.  When the talents were gathered, Clarion tried first and received both dust and light, her glow almost as bright as the sun.  Teardrop followed after, and made all the symbols of the talents follow her and then they circled around her just as bright as her sister, and then the tinker tool came and fell on her foot and she burst into tears.

 

“They weren’t sure what to do with the two.  They were obviously very attached to each other, so they didn’t know if it was best to start separating them early so they’d be used to it.  They also didn’t know what to do with a fairy with two talents, nevertheless all of them.  So they ended up sending them in the smallest group, the dust fairies took them in for the night and the next day it was decided that Clarion would spend her morning handing out dust with the dust fairies and in the late morning early afternoon head over to help the light fairies.  They decided that Teardrop would become the fairy who welcomed in new fairies in and keep in contact for a while to see they settled in.”

 

“Both Bobble and I were welcomed in by Teardrop,” said Fairy Mary and then brushed a lock of her hair from her face. “Queen Bright had an unfortunate favor to light-talent fairies.  Not that she didn’t love all of us, she did, but she showed favor to the light ones, believed they were the most important probably because that was her own talent.  Teardrop didn’t approve, and Queen Bright grew frustrated that Teardrop spent most of her free time with the dust fairies instead of the light… and at some point the queen learned that Teardrop didn’t particularly like the light.  Thankfully, the queen didn’t often confront Teardrop directly, as the two had a tense relationship ever since Teardrop was born.  But Clarion was close with the queen, and I even think saw the woman as a mentor.

 

“A few months after their birth, when it had been established that they couldn’t leave each other longer than a few hours without feeling pain and Clarion now moved from season to season since she couldn’t go to the Main Land, and then Sunshine died.  Sunshine had been Teardrop’s mentor.  A twisted old fairy that had one day had a vat- or something – of black magic dropped on her.  Unfortunately it wasn’t removed fast enough, and by the time she was cleaned up she was twisted, her wings completely destroyed, her back hunched and her legs weakened, the pain she experienced I heard had her screaming and sobbing for a week.  When she finally fell into the deathlike sleep, Teardrop mourned, and worse of all, another dust fairy was born soon after, and Queen Bright immediately thought that the new one should take over the dangerous job of taking the black magic out herself.

 

“Teardrop was less than amused, and to add insult to injury she was barred from working with the dust fairies and Queen Clarion was supposed to make sure she worked with the light fairies.  Instead Teardrop went to Tinkers Nock and started spending her free time working there, making quick friends with a tinker fairy named Tinktock.  Then the storms came.  It covered the sky and ripped across Pixie Hollow.  All the fairies were moved into the Home Tree.  Queen Bright decided to send the tinker fairies to get light since it was too dark to get it in Pixie Hollow.  She said they had the tools to keep it while the light fairies could only capture it.

 

“Teardrop was… indignant.  In the end she snuck out with the tinker fairies to help them get the light.  Clarion, of course, followed close behind.  When they got back it was just enough light, and Tinktock’s wings had been – destroyed.  The queen didn’t care, not even to our eyes, and most of us felt that Teardrop’s was right in her anger.  But the queen locked the sister away until Teardrop would agree to do her job and only help the light-talent fairies in her free time.

 

“We didn’t see her for a while, and when Clarion started getting pale, and shaky, and distant we found out that she didn’t get to see her either.  The only time we ever saw Teardrop was when she welcomed in a new fairy, and then she’d be escorted back, not even allowed to do her own job properly.  I remember seeing Clarion one day; somehow, since she was still very attached and connected to Teardrop, the separation had made her lose part of her soul.  She was dull and hardly responsive and her friends were constantly worried about her health.

 

“I don’t know exactly how long it took, but we were close to getting back on our feet after the storm, and even were able to start – I think it was fall or winter on time.  When the sky turned a purple black and the wind started to pick up – it… it wasn’t like we could run to the Home Tree, that’s where Teardrop had essentially setup base.  We huddled in Tinker’s Nock, somehow the queen had made it out safely.

 

“They sent out Clarion, who returned looking… devastated.  Her sister wouldn’t see reason and was demanding Queen Bright’s crown.  A group of us decided to make one last stand.  Clarion was able to convince everyone that she would help; I think some part of her felt guilty.  We attacked that day.  It was terrible, Teardrop held nothing back and at first I thought we’d all end up serving our last few years in a never ending sleep.  But Clarion, she held through, always pushing forward.  I don’t think she put as much effort as she could, but the twins had never… they had always been so close.

 

“Finally, I found a way inside Teardrop’s defensives to knock her out just enough so that they could capture her.  She didn’t notice until it was almost too late and she was so consumed by her own power and those eyes…” Fairy Mary grasped herself and shivered at the memory. “She made to destroy me, and Clarion got in the way.  Our queen saw that I was in trouble and she took the hit for me, and I only caught the horrified realization of this fact cross Teardrop’s face and her arms and power just collapse under it, though a second was all that was needed for the remaining fairies to be on her, holding her down and dragging her away.

 

“We didn’t hear anything for a while.  I was taken to the infirmary and released without any information.  I remember being – lost, I only knew that Teardrop had been restrained and locked away in our library.  Clarion, there were so many rumors, a lot of them less than savory.  I remember being angry of those that said in the end she tried to join Teardrop, being scared when I heard she’d entered an unwaking sleep, that she’d woken up and run in shame.

 

“When she finally reappeared Queen Clarion was more beautiful than ever.  They said that in order to save her they had actually bathed the girl in pixie dust, and looked like she does now.  Not long after… the queen died, the way all fairies do, and to everyone’s surprise she had named Clarion as her successor.  The first thing Queen Clarion did was assert that Queen Bright’s punishment for Teardrop would stand and that her sister would continue to be locked away in the library. 

 

“No one questioned it.  For one thing, we really needed a queen, despite what her sister ended up being.  Most of us could see good qualities in her, she had always been so kind and open, her sister had always been just a little to reserved.  Others thought the setup to serve a kind of poetic justice. That Clarion should get the crown and become queen when that had been Teardrop’s goal.

 

“And Teardrop was locked away, forgotten after a few years, fairies remembering enough to stay away from the library.  The only ones who were told why the library was dangerous was teaching fairies, and Clarion made sure to tell them the guidelines so that would have no chance of being taken hostage by her sister.”

 

“But, you said it hurt,” said one of the fairies who blushed when everyone turned toward her. “T-to be separate from her.”

 

“Yeah, is there a set distance they can be from each other without feeling it?” asked a painter fairy with a nasally voice.

 

“Not really,” said Fairy Mary with a shake of her head and bit her lips. “They feel the separation as soon as they aren’t together.  A few inches away at most I think.  Time makes it worse.  Clarion described it in the beginning that being away from her sister was just a little reminder of something missing at the back of her mind that by the end of the day it was a small ache.  To be gone for so long as they have is torture.  Clarion isn’t sure which is worst, the constant pain of being without Teardrop, or the fights and betrayal she feels when she’s with her sister.”

 

“What is like? I mean, why do they have to be together?” asked Iridessa.

 

“Because they are the compliments of each other.  They are two halves of one hole,” said Fairy Mary and shook her head.

 

“Are they opposites completely?” asked a young sparrow man in bright red.

 

“No, in some ways they are scarily alike.  They just have enough traits that are different from each other that they can blindly ignore the fact,” said Fairy Mary sadly.

 

“Wouldn’t it be easier if Teardrop just died?” asked one of the fairies and cowered under the glares from fairies who still couldn’t let go of their first impression of the librarian.  Or more likely, their second, Teardrop had a bad habit of severely intimidating every new fairy that wandered into her library.

 

“If Teardrop died, then so would Clarion,” said Fairy Mary, a few fairies gasped, Tinkerbell wasn’t that surprised, but she did notice that Vidia had disappeared. 

 

The questions continued for a while.  Tinkerbell found herself lost in her thought.  She only ‘surfaced’ to see her friends surrounding her.  Rosetta moved and stood in front of them, her hands on her hips.

 

“Don’t jump to conclusions, don’t interfere, just let it play out,” her eyes rested on Tinkerbell and then turned to Bobble, who actually looked like he wanted to protest. With a roll of her eyes Rosetta made to leave.

 

“Where are you going?” asked Clank, Rosetta looked back and raised an eyebrow.

 

“To go find Fawn,” she said and flew out before the others had even confirmed that the animal talent was indeed gone – Rosetta had taken off.

 

“Come on Tinkerbell,” said Fairy Mary, seeming to come from nowhere and start dragging Tinkerbell by the back of the shirt. “And you two boys, we still have a lot to do before nightfall, and I won’t accept any excuses as to why your work hasn’t been done.”

 

\----

 

When Vidia flung open the door and slammed it behind her she wasn’t surprised to hear a squeak from the bottom of her bed.  She stormed over to the chest that was there, flung it open, and glared at the dark fairy holding her hands over her hair, as if that gesture actually would save her.

 

“What in all of Pixie Hollow were you thinking trying to become queen?  You don’t have the social skills required to do that,” snapped Vidia grabbing Teardrop’s wrist and dragging her out of the chest and on to the floor.  Teardrop made an uncomfortable noise, but easily let herself be thrown around like a really heavy doll.

 

“I know that now,” said Teardrop now gripping her wrist and looking down at the floor off to the side of Vidia.

 

“Why didn’t you know that then?” asked Vidia quickly losing steam because of how utterly depressing her friend was acting.

 

“I did, on some level I’m sure,” said Teardrop and ran a finger on the floor in steady circles. “But it wasn’t only logic that was driving me or the madness from not being allowed to use my talents, or the constant pain of not being near my sister. It was the consuming thrum of power.  It was so clear, especially when I was in the Home Tree.  I could feel it, that connection, that knowledge of all that I could do with the power at my fingertips.”

 

Vidia watched with a small sneer as Teardrop looked toward the ceiling and lifted her arms.  A small sob hunched had the dark fairy looking down at her hands in a slight horror.  Watery eyes turned toward Vidia that made the fast flying fairy shiver.  An unnatural light were in the dark pits of the dark fairies eyes.  Vidia tried not to let the fear show as Teardrop looked at her imploringly.

 

“I thought I had killed her,” said Teardrop, locking eyes firmly with Vidia.  The proud fairy gulped but tried to keep her composure. 

 

“Don’t be ridiculous, if she died so would you,” said Vidia and made to drag Teardrop off the floor.  But Teardrop scooted back, as if Vidia was the one that was dangerous.

 

“Huh, I wonder what would happen if… no, if Clarion fell into an eternal sleep I’d follow in some fashion,” Teardrop laughed, and Vidia didn’t notice she was backing up until the small of her back hit against her kitchen counter. “But I didn’t feel my talents until she was revived.  Did I almost make her lose hers; did I hurt so badly that when she did wake we both would have been utterly useless?”

 

“That’s impossible,” snapped Vidia but quailed a little under Teardrop’s blank stare her way.

 

“They had to dip her in dust.  Before she had looked normal, a little tall be sure, but she wasn’t born with a dress that literally clung to her body and dripped with magic.  She was normal, and if they hadn’t let dust soak her, she might have woken but she wouldn’t have had her power,” said Teardrop and hugged herself.

 

“Aren’t you just worrying about yourself?” asked Vidia and rolled her eyes.  She peeled her hands off the counter and walked next to the scrunched body in the middle of the floor.  Watching as Teardrop rocked on the tips of her toes as her eyes continued to look into nothing and shook her head.

 

“I suppose,” said Teardrop still shaking her head. “But Clarion isn’t me, and I’m not Clarion, we’re sisters, yes, but that doesn’t mean we always see eye to eye.  Doesn’t mean that when it comes down to it that we both won’t sacrifice each other.  We live for and around each other.  A weird game of acceptance, rejection, love, h-hatred.” Teardrop sob, but she really did seem to have run out of tears. “Do you know how much it hurt to realize that I might have killed her?  I forgot that moment that we were connected, that I would have felt her death.  All I could see was her dying in front of me.”

 

Teardrop twisted until she had her head against the floor and her body, but still twisted into the smallest ball.  Vidia sighed and started to try and untangle the silly thing.  Teardrop sprang suddenly to look wide eyed into Vidia’s eyes.

 

“It’s so easy, it’s so easy to take their lives,” her eyes tried to find moisture. “It wasn’t meant for her, it was meant for one of my precious.”

 

“Precious?” asked Vidia, not daring to pull away.

 

“One of the ones I welcomed into Pixie Hollow,” said Teardrop and then watched as she forced herself to link fingers with Vidia and let the fast flying fairy drag them to sit on her bed. “Fairy Mary was one of the first along with Bobble.”

 

Vidia watched in morbid fascination as Teardrop rested her head on Vidia’s bony lap and looked off to the side with a small odd smile.  Her face contorted into despair.

 

“At that moment I didn’t care that I was going to kill her, place her in that never ending sleep.  I just wanted to prove my strength, I wanted to use it to bring down anyone who opposed me, I wanted to destroy,” Teardrop lost all sense of emotion. “All my sister can think of is everyone else in the most selfish way possible.  All I can think of is myself in the most selfless way.  The power was so revealing, because it didn’t have those restrictions, it didn’t think that way it was free to seek and just be.”

 

Vidia ran a hand through the girl’s short hair and Teardrop moved into the hand like a cat.

 

“Clarion was there, among the rest, though I can’t remember what any of them looked like.  She remembered her goals, she remembered her restrictions, why this was a bad idea and was fighting for it.  She could make dust and light into the most brutal of attacks, which makes sense, because no matter how clumsy she was at the beginning.  But that made sense, I suppose, after she had always been able to perfect her talents better than I could even dream of being.”

 

Teardrop closed her eyes and her breathing started to even out.   Vidia shifted her around rudely so the dark fairy was forced awake again.

 

“What was the power like?” asked Vidia.  Teardrop looked at the other in confusion and finally let a small humorous smile free that made Vidia shiver in – pleasure?

 

“It was amazing, so raw, like each element every concept behind every talent was speaking to me.  Like they had a rudimentary need to be free.  They just exploded like a new fairy's' who hasn’t quite figured out exactly where she fits in within her talent-kin,” said Teardrop closing her hands close to her body.

 

“But, you’re as powerful as your sister, and Clarion has a great amount of power and refinement within her powers,” said Vidia in confusion.  Hazel eyes stared into her and two squeaks later Teardrop was laughing childlike in Vidia’s lap.

 

“Weren’t you listening?  Of course Clarion has the refinements down, that’s what she’s good at, but getting her started on a task?  No, no, she can’t really understand the broad scope like that, but once she’s got it down she can really take off, do things that most fairies haven’t even dreamed of,” Teardrop giggled distractedly. “But I can’t get past the basics.  I’m good, solid with them.  Well, the ones I actually tried.  I can gather dust, remove ink, even grab light, tinker, but I didn’t learn anything else, I just have this instinct that pulls and becomes almost impossible to ignore in the Home Tree.”

 

“What do you mean?” asked Vidia looking around for something Teardrop could clutch on that wasn’t her.

 

“It’s worse, the need to use my power, to gather the winds into a storm, to call the plants to me, to gather water, storms, to create – to destroy,” said Teardrop and spread herself wide so that Vidia had to grab onto her to stop her from falling off her lap and onto the ground and then scowled at the exploring girl. “I can feel the need, even here.”

 

“No kidding,” muttered Vidia and Teardrop looked up at her and then smiled silly.  She was probably remembering the few times she had lost her temper in Vidia’s presence.

 

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to cause you problems,” said Teardrop and loosely clung to Vidia as the fast flying fairy leaned backward, reaching.

 

“If that was your real reason than you wouldn’t be here,” said Vidia and came back in with a stuffy of a squirrel. “But don’t worry, I understand, sorta.  Not the whole ‘can’t get your powers under control thing,’ but I think that can be easily fixed, I mean, thankfully it didn’t really make you do anything you weren’t going to do anyway.”

 

Vidia started to arrange Teardrop so she was on top of her covers instead on her lap.  Teardrop glared at the fasting flying fairy as she accepted the squirrel.

 

“I hurt Clarion,” said Teardrop with a frown. “I almost hurt Fairy Mary.”

 

“See, it even let you keep better track of your goals,” said Vidia standing up and heading to cook something.  It would help her keep busy and also keep track of Teardrop, make sure she didn’t ruin the freedom she had finally found for herself.  After the dark fairy had fallen into a nice deep sleep she would take a few laps around Pixie Hollow to release the rest of the tension built up because of this whole ordeal.

 

“That’s a stupid way to look at it,” said Teardrop mournfully.

 

“Well, if we’re lucky enough we can trust at least one fairy from every talent to know of your existence without telling the good queen,” said Vidia, trying to not blink to rapidly as the need to tear up came with cutting the onions for their dinner.

 

“Why?” asked Teardrop, basically lying completely on the poor stuffed animal.  

 

“So we can get you a teacher for all of them,” said Vidia and went on to the carrots.  It was a soup night.

 

“Why?” asked Teardrop and Vidia glared at the dark fairy until the girl buried her head in the stuffy secured in her arms, and no longer suffocating.

 

“Because you can’t stay in here with me forever, someone we don’t want to will find out eventually.  From what I can tell, there are still a few people who can’t really see you as strictly evil.  Which you aren’t, you’re to bloody nice to be considered that,” said Vidia and then sent a scowl at Teardrop like that was a bad thing. “We’ll get them to help suppress that feeling and tell your sister that you wouldn’t kill Queen Bright.”

 

“I’d still be lying,” said Teardrop. “I forgot my goals, not made new ones because of them.”

 

“Yes, yes, but then tell her that the loss of control will never happen and you’ll remember yourself next time you have a stupid idea and try to kill the ‘queen’ – which would be rather moronic by the way,” said Vidia and brushed the vegetables and set the pot to simmer a little. “You can be reasoned with.  I mean, when Clarion came to bargain with you, make you see sense, were either of you really thinking straight?”

 

“I – I’m not sure.  I remember being betrayed, or feeling at least that way,” said Teardrop and looked up at the ceiling. “I thought when she first came she realized that I was right about Queen Bright and was joining me – but then she agreed with that harlot, who was so set on one talent when all of them are needed, and none are expendable, none she be chosen over the other.”

 

“But, you always talk about liking Queen Clarion best, no matter what she did to you, well, you said your sister, but I’m guessing that you were only trying to keep up… never mind.  Point is that in most cases, even as angry at her as you are now, you would have never hurt her in a normal setting, even if the price was Pixie Hollow,” said Vidia and Teardrop looked down actually considering this.

 

“No, if I had to choose now, knowing what I did, I would make sure that Clarion realized what I meant and she would eventually.  We would have left or fought together, I never would have tried anything on my own,” said Teardrop with a small nod on the subject.

 

Vidia nodded and smiled, she’d have Teardrop on her feet and in good graces with the queen again in no time, or she’d smuggle the fairy out.  She hoped for the first, that way she’d fall back in favor too, at least the closest person to the queen would be her best friend and she’d have free reign again.  Other fairies wouldn’t be able to dismiss her as easily as they had before.

 

“Right, bet you’d even put me in a lifelong sleep if it meant that Clarion was kept safe and happy,” said Vidia with a proud smirk and handed Teardrop a cup of water.  Teardrop took it with a shy smile and took the glass from the fast flying fairy while throwing her legs over the side of the bed.

 

“It nothing against you,” said Teardrop and looked down at her drink.

 

“I know,” said Vidia flippantly and returned to start dessert.  Something simple so that it could cook during dinner.

 

“I mean, it’s just that…” Teardrop trailed off, not finishing her thought.  Vidia rolled her eyes.  She knew that the other fairy would never care of her as much as she did her sister.  Vidia was probably lucky to be considered a friend, Teardrop didn’t connect that quickly.  Yes, the dark fairy liked company every once in a while, but she probably wouldn’t feel much of anything if she never saw Ginger again, and could easily leave Tinkerbell behind with hardly a glance back.  At least she knew the fairy would spare a few tears, especially if she had to be the one to ‘take care of’ Vidia.

 

Something shattered, a sound of water washing across the floor and a small gasp of horror.

 

“No,” said Teardrop looking past the mess when Vidia turned around.

 

“What’s wrong?” asked Vidia in aggravation, and then she grew worried, Teardrop looked, devastated. “Is it Queen Clarion?  What’s going on, are the pirates here?  Teardrop, snap out of it.”

 

A slap resounded in the room and Vidia whimpered a little when Teardrop still looked beyond gone in terror.

 

“No…” Teardrop’s voice broke and she grasped her head in her hands and shook it violently. “No!”

 

“Teardrop,” said Vidia and then shook the girl as hard she could. “Start making sense, I can’t do anything if you just insist on freaking out!”

 

Vidia tried to look in those unseeing eyes.  Teardrop’s breath was forced, grating against her throat in choked tears and it seemed her eyes had found a drop of moisture left as one trailed down her cheeks.  Vidia wasn’t sure what to do.  She was leaning on the wet and clay shards, trying to figure out through incoherent rambling and whimpering could mean and if she shouldn’t already be miles away from Pixie Hollow.

 

“I don’t know who,” said Teary and then choked again, closing her eyes tightly.

 

“What?”

 

“I don’t know any more who I would choose, I can’t say for sure that it would be Ree I’d choose to save when given the option,” said Teardrop and then shook her head like that would bring back her sanity. “I know I would choose You over Tinkerbell.  I’d, of course, sooner let one my little ones die or hurt than Ree, but I can’t choose between you and her.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Vidia with a small hitch in her voice. “Of course you’d pick yourself over me.”

 

“No, I don’t know that, I can’t choose.  It wasn’t that she was me; it was that she was my everything.  My sister, my best friend.  I love her, she is what I can’t be, what I am… and yet, you, even though you’re a fast flying fairy you accepted me.  You made sure that Pixie Hollow stayed safe, and even continue to care about me.  Somewhere along the way I became too close to you,” choked Teardrop and smiled oddly, grabbing the hair behind Vidia’s ears so she couldn’t get away.

 

Vidia looked up at the other fairy and tried not to show how it was affecting her, and failed miserably.  Teardrop started giggling and holding on tighter.

 

“You’re as scared about this as I am, aren’t you?” asked Teardrop and then spluttered with laughter a little. “You don’t let people to get close.  You care, but you really don’t want to.  You just want to live your life and become the fastest fairy ever.  Nothing else can be present, you can’t let anything be important to you, or let anyone else rely on you in anyway.”

 

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” snapped Vidia and glared at the now smiling fairy.

 

“O-of course,” said Teardrop and Vidia tried to ignore the part of her that was relieved that Teardrop seemed to have recollected herself well after that… discovery.

 

“I don’t care if you think… we’re best friends, of course you would confuse that at some point, but we aren’t like other fairies, we can’t let their silly notions of friendship be confused with our own,” said Vidia turning away Teardrop so she wouldn’t see that look the other was using in her direction.  Though she could feel it on her back.

 

“Yes,” was the soft agreement, almost trying to calm the other.  Vidia started to storm back to her stove, she couldn’t even believe… Teardrop was just being silly and over emotional, she’d level out later.

 

A knock rang oddly in the room.  Two heads snapped toward it and then looked at each other, as if not completely believing their own ears.  It sounded again, this time more insistent.  A rustle of cloth and a small tap of wood told Vidia that Teardrop had hidden herself, but she wondered if it was too late.  If they were lucky the fairies had just arrived and not heard the yelling and listened in.

 

Vidia opened the door and blinked at the sight before sending the fairy a glare that should have the animal talent breathing her last breath.  Instead the braided fairy only proceeded to push herself into Vidia’s home her eyes scanning around for someone not immanently prominent.

 

“Do you need something?” snapped Vidia leaning heavily against her doorframe.

 

“I need to give Teardrop a message,” said Fawn almost demandingly.  Vidia pushed off her door and went to save her meal from burning any worse.  Hopefully it was still edible.

 

“Who?” asked Vidia, she hadn’t really come often enough to learn the librarians name.  Fawn rolled her eyes and Vidia kept feeling like the other had heard a little too much.  Though why Fawn would come here in the first place to find Teary was a mystery to her.

 

“The librarian of course,” said Fawn strolling over and sitting herself on one of the stools at Vidia’s counter.  Vidia sneered at the annoying animal-talent.

 

“Dear, I don’t know anything about her, why not go bug that sister of hers and in the process also get her to see reason about the pirate thing?” snapped Vidia and for some reason handed the annoying reason passed the irritating fairy some soup and started ladling some soup into two other bowls.

 

“You know, that’s what tipped me off in the first place.  That and those arguments you get into every time you came to visit Teardrop,” said Fawn with a determined scowl.

 

“I didn’t come that often, I walked through after getting the initial books a few time,” said Vidia.  It was true; she’d visited the library on the pretence of getting more every once in a while and would after track down where Teardrop was and complain at her for the most inane reasons, which she was sure Teardrop appreciated since it usually meant that she actually had to engage her brain to talk.  Teardrop, of course, had complained about not getting to see Vidia for a few minutes, and thus had started sneaking to her house every once in a while.

 

“Seven,” said Fawn, and Vidia wondered where she fairy had gotten that number. “And you always sought Teardrop out.”

 

“To complain about the inefficiencies she had overlooked,” said Vidia proudly grabbing the two soup bowls and heading to the table.  She put one to the side and one in front of her.  Fawn joined her there, putting her own bowl of soup in front of her.

 

“Which were always very superficial,” remarked Fawn and Vidia gave her the best ‘I am much better and smarter than you, don’t question me’ look before returning to her soup.  Vidia didn’t look up until a chair scraped against the floor and Teary deposited her stupid butt at the table.  By then Vidia was glaring.

 

“Teary, what do you think you’re doing?” asked Vidia with venom.

 

“Sitting at the place you set for me,” said Teardrop innocently and dipped a spoon into the warm soup in front of her.  Vidia frowned at the act.

 

“I could have explained that,” said Vidia with a small frown.

 

“Really?” asked Teardrop with a sly smile.

 

“She would have had to buy the reason,” said Teardrop as she dipped into her soup.

 

“No, she just had to leave in a huff,” grumbled Vidia and Teardrop rolled her eyes and shook her head with a small chuckle.

 

“But she has something to tell me,” said Teary and then smiled at the fast flying fairy, asking the other to humor at least for a little.  Vidia huffed and looked away, this better not get her in trouble.

 

“I just wanted to know that even though we know the whole story there’s still those who support you,” said Fawn with gusto.  Teary smiled in a way that it looked closer to only humoring the animal talent at that moment.

 

“Ah, and how many have condemned me to the fate that my sister has placed upon me?” asked Teary with a forgiving smile.  Fawn started to irritably stir her soup.

 

“No one,” she said with a pout.  Vidia looked at the girl funny.  Why did the goody-goody sound so depressed?

 

“Hm,” nodded Teary as if she knew exactly what the annoying fairy meant. “So they want to be cautious for Ree, have they figured out a suitable change that will still technically take me out of commission but not hurt Ree anymore than she already has?”

 

Vidia sipped at the soup, and looked through her bangs at the dark fairy.  There was some part of Teardrop that actually sounded interested in that option.  Teary seemed to notice after a minute and glanced back at her.

 

“No, I left before, and I think they were going to go somewhere private.  They don’t expect you to be caught easily, though they are sure Queen Clarion would know if you left,” said Fawn with a shrug.  Teary smiled in amusement at the other fairy, as if the animal-talent had just done something to gain her respect.  Vidia glared the other fairy and Fawn blanched a little.

 

“Yes, Ree would know if I even was contemplating trying to leave,” said Teary with a kind smile. “Well, they always could try to put me into a gentle endless sleep.  If they’re lucky it will mean that Ree can never sleep again.  That would be nice.”

 

“Nice?” asked Vidia and Teary blinked at her from her content smile. “Teary, you would be dead, maybe not in body, but… that life isn’t even worth it if you can’t live it.”

 

“Technically it wouldn’t be complete death; Ree is part of me after all.  It would be a pirate’s cove better than the last century,” said Teardrop and Vidia immediately went for the kill.

 

“Teary?” asked Fawn and the two fairies turned slowly toward her. “How long have you two been friends?”

 

“None of your—“

 

“Remember the first time Vidia came to the queen talking about something bad was going to happen to Pixie Hollow if the underground river wasn’t fixed?” asked Teary with a maddening smile.

 

“Teary she doesn’t need to…”

 

“Wow, really?  Well, I guess it was a bit odd that Vidia was able to just keep stumbling upon these problems in the nick of time… but that means…” said Fawn and she looked scared. “The pirates?”

 

“Are a very real threat,” said Teary suddenly very serious and then smiled and opened her hands palms up. “But don’t worry.  My sister is gathering together the fairies in one way that will into a force.  Just keep an eye on the horizon so that when it does happen we will be ready.”

 

“Shouldn’t we hide?” asked Fawn.  Then again, they would be fighting against human’s being that were much bigger and stronger than them.

 

“Don’t be silly, they would wreak our home and try to steal our magic when they figured out what it was, or at least some of the properties it has,” said Teary in lecture mode. “As I said, don’t worry about it too much, just keep an eye open and be prepared when they do come, make sure to spread the word.”

 

“Of course,” said Fawn with a determined frown.

 

“Now that that’s decided,” said Vidia and flipped out her nails, less than amused that these two plebeians had chosen to ignore her for so long.  “I have an idea for redeeming miss annoying, hopefully before these pirates show up.”

 

“Really?” asked Fawn. “What’s the plan?”

 

“Stop bouncing and I’ll tell you,” snapped Vidia and the animal-talent tensed, as if remembering that this was Vidia of all people, and even if she did have a friend that wasn’t going to make her softer.

 

“She wasn’t bouncing,” said Teary with a faux disappointed frown. “Just acting incredibly perky.  Nothing wrong with that.”

 

“Yes there is,” said Vidia moodily and turned back to Fawn, she’d just get it all on the table and the animal-talent could do all the work for her, and hopefully never bother her again. “Listen, one of the reasons that Teary here went all kill-joy on the queen…”

 

“That’s not a delicate way to put it,” muttered Teary looking at Vidia in shook and slowly annoyance.

 

“She has the ability to be of use in any talent, but she’s only been taught how express these needs to work for a few talents.  When she’s in the Home Tree the magic brings to life the need to work, but they don’t have direction except for dust, light, and tinkering.  Besides that she can guess.  She just needs the basics so that the talents don’t overwhelm her.”

 

“But, learning…” said Fawn biting her lip.

 

“Don’t worry,” cut in Teardrop and then smiled under false brightness. “I’m not like Tinkerbell; I’m not trying to learn talents that aren’t my own.  Usually given instruction I can pick up the basics in a hurry, and really ,that’s all I need to know.”

 

Fawn looked over at Vidia for confirmation, as if to check this was true.  Vidia gave a quick nod and sneer.  Though she really wasn’t all too sure, it was just a theory really.  Hopefully it was one that Teardrop herself would buy because she had a feeling that was the only way Queen Clarion was even going to consider it. 

 

“Great,” said Fawn. “I’ll be back tomorrow, and we’ll start with animals, I know this nice little spot.  No one should be around tomorrow, well, not in the morning.  How does that sound?”

 

“Perfect, thank you Fawn,” said Teardrop, and started to gather their now empty bowls.  Fawn beamed at Teary and then at Vidia; the fast flying fairy attempted to destroy it with her glare.

 

They all jumped when another knock tapped irritably against the door.  A sudden whoosh and light tap of wood brought Vidia back to her senses.  The irritable fairy stood and brushed a tense hand over her pants and headed for the door.

 

Vidia wasn’t impressed by the fairy on the other side.  The two fairies glared at each other for a minute, but before the garden fairy could demand where her irriting friend was, Vidia turned away toward the source of annoyance.

 

“I think this is for you,” said Vidia pointing to the garden fairy, whose entire body tensed at the insult.  She might even have let a hiss loose. That would be nice, no way that Rosetta would gain the stupid idea that they were friends that way. 

 

“Rosetta, what are you doing here?” asked Fawn flying quickly to her hand.  Vidia had to jump back and sneered and rolled her eyes at their display.  Why did seem that every fairy but her insisted on being to touchy feely.

 

“Looking for you,” said Rosetta and then sent a suspicious look over the animal-talent’s shoulder toward Vidia, who was getting rid of the dishes. “Why are you here of all places?”

 

“I was looking for Teardrop,” said Fawn and jumped slightly.  Vidia tried not to give herself away, though she did basically throw the dishes into the sink, causing Rosetta to glance at her briefly before her attention was recaptured by the bouncing menace. 

 

“Here?” asked Rosetta and then glanced at Vidia, who was giving Fawn a look that said she thought the animal-talent was brain-dead. “The few times she came to the library she seemed to think that Teardrop was beneath her.”

 

“She seems that way with everyone,” pointed out Fawn and latched onto Rosetta’s arm and gave a small tug. “Come on, there are few other places I want to check.”

 

Vidia watched as Rosetta was pulled away, still looking at Vidia as if she didn’t quite trust what she was being told and that somehow the fast flying fairy would correct it.  The door slipped shut and Vidia let loose a sigh and finished cleaning the bowls.  She looked up in confusion when Teardrop didn’t come out hiding. 

 

Vidia wiped her hands off with a thin cloth and headed to the chest at the end of her bed.  She looked at it for a minute, placing a hand on her hip and then reached forward to open the lid.  It stuck.  She frowned and ran a hand at the slit; Teary must have somehow sealed it from the inside.  Well, that actually was in some ways very convenient.  The dark fairy must have decided to sleep the rest of her sorrow away which left Vidia some time before dark to fly off her frustration.  She wasn’t too worried about Teary.  The dark fairy could be discrete when she wanted to be, and tended to take forever to wake up after she had already opened her eyes.

 

Vidia had once had the privilege of dealing with Teary in one those states.  It was in the middle of fixing something, and the dark fairy had woken up and basically sleep walked to Vidia’s place and then spent the rest of the day there just fixing up the place and being silent company.

 

Well, whatever, the point was that she wouldn’t do anything to stupid and could probably be trusted not to give herself away to the queen, if for the simple fact that she would wake up a few times and fall asleep again under the thinking that it was still dark outside and thus beddy-bye time.


	12. What Part of the Ship is Seen on the Horizon

They hadn’t found her.  Tinkerbell sighed in relief at the news and had been scolded by Fairy Mary for doing so, but the tinker couldn’t bring herself to really care. 

 

Tinkerbell wondered if she’d always be like this, living day to day just worrying that someone who had almost killed her queen was going to be captured.  But… Teardrop had tried this trick already, the one where she made herself out to be the greatest villain where she looked people in the eye and said that, if she’d have the power, there were fairies she’d kill.  Still, Tinkerbell couldn’t see much harm in it, the only person Teardrop threatened was already gone, and really there wasn’t much that Teardrop could do about fairies that contradicted her. 

 

So she ignored Fairy Mary who spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to explain that Teardrop was the sort of person who had proved that she could pull it off and that was what made her dangerous.  After irritating the teacher-talent by basically ignoring her, Fairy Mary assigned Tinkerbell to a series of tasks that most fairies dreaded getting, which meant Tinkerbell was told to make the same rainbow catcher over and over again to supply the next shipment.  Most tinkers hated the repetition, they knew that mindless tasks were most of their work, and there were a few that liked having the mindless tasks, but most wanted to invent to try out new things, to fix things that seemed past the dying points.

 

Tinkerbell couldn’t care at the moment.  She wasn’t changing her opinion, whatever it was, not for nothing.  Plus, the mindless task would give her time to think; time to state her beliefs, time to find a reason, perhaps, not to worry.  Not to worry that everyday gone by was a step closer to them tracking down and killing her friend.  Maybe even, a way just to not care.  To somehow not have to pick sides between her queen and the librarian.  Because whoever won this game of hide-and-seek, in the end they would both lose.

 

“Um, Tinkerbell,” the tinker stopped rolling the leaf and glanced up at Bobble who smiled nervously at her and swept his hand to draw Tinkerbell’s attention to the catchers she’d been working on. “That’s more than enough.”

 

Tinkerbell looked down.  It seemed she’d gone a little overboard when she’d been making them.  She turned away, hoping the others would get the message, she was done, she didn’t want to be disturbed. 

 

A slim hand gripped her shoulder lightly and Tinkerbell mostly out of shock to see Bobble standing there.  She would have expected Clank; he was the one usually dense enough not to get it. 

 

“Sometimes it’s easier to forget,” said Bobble and then smiled and left.  Tinkerbell watched him leave.  What in Pirates Cove did that mean?

 

Tinkerbell fumed silently.  She knew that Bobble was looking down on her in some way, patronizing her in some fashion, she just didn’t… it didn’t make sense.

 

Tinkerbell flew to a small ridge in the grass and shoved herself into a little patch hidden from everything, and yet had the ability to see everything.  Bobble had been so distraught yesterday. Choked up and angry about Teardrop’s predicament, and now he was back to work like it had never happened.  He was acting like the girl he’d made stupid but cute tools for wasn’t in trouble, like she hadn’t even existed…

 

Maybe that’s what he’d meant by just forget.  Maybe that’s how he had dealt with it before and now that she was in trouble again was going to deal with it again.  Tinkerbell frowned.  That seemed heartless to her.  To just push something out of the way because it was inconvenient. Wasn’t it better to use situation like this as a learning experience, though the whole thing seemed unfair.

 

“Tinkerbell,” said fairy looked up at Fawn who was sending her a false smile.  Tinkerbell looked at the animal-talent full on, wondering at the sudden jolt that the other had just had in finding her.

 

“Fawn, what are you doing here?” asked Tinkerbell, she really had thought this was the perfect hiding place. 

 

“Well I was… oh fiddle sticks,” said Fawn looking all around her.  Tinkerbell flew out of her hiding place and gave the area the same once over.

 

“What are we looking for?” she staged whispered, and Fawn’s wings sprang her a couple inches in the sky out of shock before returned her blushing to Tinkerbell’s side.

 

“Nothing,” said the animal-talent hurriedly.  Tinkerbell didn’t believe that for a second.  She gave another more thorough look around the space looking for anything that she might have missed before. 

 

That’s when the horns sounded and both fairies were immediately on alert.  These only sounded during emergencies; at least, that’s what Tinkerbell guessed as she caste hidden glances Fawn’s way only to see the other standing rigidly waiting for what the blasts would tell them.  Two long five short.  Regroup with talent-kin.

 

Tinkerbell turned fast enough to catch Fawn’s arm as the other went to follow the order.

 

“Are you sure it’s okay?” asked Tinkerbell confusing the other fairy for a spell before she smiled kindly.

 

“Calm down Tink,” said Fawn with a gentle hand on her own. “If it wasn’t safe enough to go back to our homes then there would have been three long calls after.”

 

Tinkerbell nodded worriedly and let go of Fawn who took off to meet her other talent-kin and Tinkerbell went to meet hers.  This was worrying.  The horns were only sounded in emergencies, a fairy could usually count on one hand for a whole century the amount of time those special horns were blown.  They meant trouble and they gave instructions every time they were blown, and they were only used as warnings.

 

That meant there were no such things as drills.  New fairies were told about the events that could happen briefly, told to listen closely and memorize the different blasts and be able to follow instructions.  They were not even taught with the sound as someone could hear and misjudge, instead the teacher fairy would crudely demonstrate the sound and then tell all the nervous looking fairies they would know the sound when they heard it. 

 

“Hurry everyone, gather round, oh thank the Queen Tinkerbell, go flutter over to where Bobble and Clank are,” Fairy Mary looked to be a nervous wreck trying to organize the nervous gossiping tinker and teacher talents fairies into some sort to workable group force.

 

Tinkerbell sat besides Bobble, who was biting his lip, and Tinkerbell got a feeling that despite what he had told her earlier he hadn’t forgotten Teardrop.  He could probably convince himself for a time that he didn’t care, that she didn’t exist, but she could see the truth, couldn’t she?  Bobble never really forgot about the friend, the mentor that had brought him to Pixie Hollow.  Teardrop deserved her second chance, if she screwed up a second time than she should probably be locked up; Queen Clarion would have to turn over succession, because with the loose of Teardrop her sister would inevitably lose.

 

“Alright everyone, we need to start getting geared up,” said Fairy Mary seriously.  There was an extended pause.

 

“Try starting from the beginning,” shouted a fairy from the teaching-talent section.

 

“Right,” said the plump fairy, shaking her head as if to jar her thoughts into the right order. “Pirates have been spotted on the horizon.” There was an immediate grumble of gossip. “Hush, we need start to creating preventative measures.  In a few hours they’ll be on us and we’ll need to be ready to attack.”

 

“Can’t we send fast flying fairies to send them away?” asked a fairy from the crowd.

 

“No, there are three ships and though one looks heavily damaged, the fast flying fairies would be useless against them.  They are… made differently than the ones built here.  They are powered by something unseen instead of sails, made of metal instead of wood.  What we need to do is start building some projectiles and weapons to encourage the pirates to move on.  The teacher fairies will be splitting up, going to various talents to help instruct them on what to do, and the tinkers will start building.  I will be dividing you into these groups, these groups will be your squadron, you will stay with them for the entire time.  With luck they will change their direction toward Pirates Cove, or they will leave as soon as they realize we have nothing of worth and are serious in protecting our land,” said Fairy Mary.

 

“How do we know they’re hostile?” asked Tinkerbell.  Fairy Mary pursed her lips as if to say ‘not this again.’

 

“They’re pirates, no matter what form they take on they will be coming with swords drawn, we are simply trying to direct them to their own kind,” said Fairy Mary. “We will try to avoid any bloodshed, but this is not a land for anything but fairies.”

 

Tinkerbell blushed and hid a bit behind Bobble.  Well, that she could understand, she knew that pirates were a menace, she just didn’t think violence would necessary get rid of them… but perhaps would be their only chance or be overrun.

 

“Alright, teaching-talents hang for a minute as I split up the up the tinker fairies into groups,” Fairy Mary started dividing the tinkers and shouting for a teaching-talent once in a while before the group would nod as one and would fly off to do whatever they were assigned.  Finally she came their way.

 

“Alright, Cog, Fiona, you come here too.  Scrawl!” Fairy Mary shouted the last name louder over her shoulder and one of the teaching-fairies blinked from her circle of friends and came over to the small group of tinkers. “Scrawl, describe some of the simple weapons we have to Tinkerbell and tell her how they are designed and what they’re supposed to do.  All of you follow Tinkerbell’s lead.  Tinkerbell you go down to the shore and start tinkering, you have a few hours to invent some new things.” And then as if stress the girl she added. “No pressure, just do your best.”

 

“Alright, let’s do this,” said Tinkerbell and flew off.  Tinkerbell listened with half an ear as Scrawl rattled off a lot of things that could hold ammo, what caught her ear though was the catapults.  There was more, but at the moment she had a very selective ear.  She could remember the rubber bands, and was already thinking in terms of balance and weight limit.

 

With effortless ease Tinkerbell began to start ordering her friends to find certain items.  She devised two sort of catapults.  One that based on the type that was ‘big’ but she made this huge.  She based the measurements on what she’d seen of human height before, so they were much bigger, that and they wouldn’t do a roundabout motion, the rubber bands instead would pull the projectile back and let them loose.  However, the rocks had ended causing a bit of a problem.

 

“It’s not going far enough Tink,” said Bobble with desperate eyes.  Not that they all weren’t starting to panic with the ships now visible to the eye they were so close, though they were little more than specks.

 

“This is working great though,” said Cog lifting the mini-gun that he had slung over his shoulder.  It was filled with stinging thistle (which had been hard and painful to get).  It also sent them fast enough to make it a good way into wood, so she was sure it’d do it’d job and more.

 

“Should we just concentrate on making more of those?” asked Clank, who was happily beginning to make the next ‘gun.’

 

“You guys go ahead and start, I’m going to try and figure this out,” said waving her hand distractedly. “Now, what could make this thing work?”

 

“Ow, Fiona careful, what just burned me?” asked Bobble who was looking down on his arm. 

 

“I don’t know,” said the girl with a slight wheeze to her voice. “I was just trying to hold the magnifying glass out of the way.”

 

“You have to be careful with that,” scolded Tinkerbell. “The light will concentrate and… Bobble!”

 

“Yes!” said the fairy straightening alarmingly fast under Tinkerbell’s firm gaze.  The tinker fairy rolled her eyes.

 

“Go with Clank,” Clank pouted up from his weapon. “And put together a ball of twigs about half the weight of the rocks and add leaves and easily burnable material to the outside.  Cog and Fiona go find some strips of metal, a flat rock, something flat.”

 

“Perhaps something of the same material that would be attached to the rubberband,” said Scrawl and then smirked when Tinkerbell looked at her in surprise. “Unless you want the rubber to melt?”

 

“No, good thinking, go ahead you two,” said Tinkerbell nodding her head at the two who glanced between the inventor and the teacher before flying to carry out their assignment.

 

“I didn’t know you were this good at your job,” said Scrawl as they waited.  Well, Scrawl was waiting, her back pressed against the catapult.  Tinkerbell had taken up finishing up the gun that Clank had started, not willing to waste any time preparing for the incoming pirates.

 

“Yes well, I had to make quite a few mistakes to get here,” said Tinkerbell with a small smile, hoping to make the atmosphere – less tense.

 

“So I heard,” said Scrawl and Tinkerbell spared her a glance before returning to her work. “Like that association with the monster.”

 

“Monster?  Who, Vidia?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“No, Vidia’s cruel and vindictive, but she has saved our skins when we needed her,” the fairy chuckled. “No I meant little librarian of yours.”

 

“I met Teary after the spring,” snapped Tinkerbell turning so her back was facing the teaching fairy.  She heard the other snort.

 

“Well yes, but I heard you read those black magic books of hers.  You must have learned quite a bit from them,” said Scrawl and Tinkerbell grit her teeth to stop the snapped answer she wanted to use.

 

“They aren’t on black magic, and while yes, that’s what is used for ink it doesn’t exactly describe what it is since it was originally called tar,” said Tinkerbell with a forced monotone voice.

 

“I know,” said Scrawl and then smiled at Tinkerbell’s angry disbelieving glare. “I’m a teaching-talent, if you haven’t forgotten.  One of the ones that can read I might add. I know what is used as ink.  I also have seen Teardrop, used to wait by the door just trying to catch a glimpse of her.”

 

Tinkerbell’s head whipped around.  Why was Scrawl referring to Teardrop as a monster if she was the fairy that fed Teardrop the food that kept her fed?  Maybe it was to get her attention.

 

“Why are you calling her monster?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“Because that’s what she is, isn’t it?” asked Scrawl with a small flourish of her hand. “I mean, I wasn’t around when it happened, but do you know that all the books have been hidden away.  Teardrop got so sick of me asking for them and not getting the message and left me a note that said all books on that subject were banned, at least for the time being, she suggested I try again after her death.  Somehow I think that the story we got yesterday was a watered down version of what happened.”

 

“What does it matter?  Teary’s a good fairy, you have to have thought so too since you gave her those baskets of food,” said Tinkerbell turning a little red.

 

“Baskets of food?” asked Scrawl.  Tinkerbell turned to see the teacher-talent looking lost. “I never left her food.  I noticed she gets skinny around the change of seasons, but I wouldn’t give her food, always interested if she’d ever do anything about it.”

 

“But if you didn’t…” said Tinkerbell and bit her lip.  Scrawl smiled with humor.

 

“I wonder--” said Scrawl and then smirked at Tinkerbell. “You know, I did see her leave three times.  She has this latch that comes out of her archives.  Only caught her three times, well, not really caught, I never let her know of my presence.  I was never able to follow her very far either, suspicious little thing, isn’t she?  But the first two times was around the draught, the third was the day before Vidia brought our attention to the reason why the flowers kept getting sick and dying.  Odd thing, was that I was able to follow her long enough to see that she was at least heading in the general direction of Vidia’s flat.”

 

“But, that’s impossible,” said Tinkerbell. “They yell and…”

 

“Why does Vidia keep coming back to the library?  Certainly not to read.  Does she even know how to?” asked Scrawl and then shrugged. “Don’t look so devastated, as I said, the time she disappears is the same time something bad is going on in Pixie Hollow, and she’s not creating the problem, but going to someone who can help fix it, and probably doesn’t drive her up a wall with all the sentimentality.”

 

“Are – are you going to tell anyone?” asked Tinkerbell.  Scrawl looked at the tinker in surprise.

 

“About where I think the monsters little hiding place is?” asked Scrawl and then laughed. “No, no, as I said, I’m interested in what she does, and after the contradiction she makes of herself.  I’m much interested in watching it happen not interfering.”

 

“Aren’t you interfering by telling me?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“You’re her friend, aren’t you?” asked Scrawl with a small flick of her hand. “I’m not stupid, these pirates aren’t going to be pushovers, and Teardrop’s got quite a bit of punch in her.  Hopefully she won’t stay hidden away if she knows she has friends in trouble.”

 

“What are you..?” but before Tinkerbell could ask Bobble showed up with the ball of wood.  They immediately started to put the new idea forward, trying to encourage Clank to stay away from the new gun and soon agreed to send him to ask for help.  It wasn’t long before they had a good mount of guns made, had perfected the catapult.  It took a while to figure out the fire part, but soon they had round flaming ball of fire flying into the ocean and working on making five more.

 

By that time they were finishing the rest of them the rest of the talents were showing up.  They could see the ships clearly now and a few fairies had come from that direction flying hurriedly with worried faces toward the queen.  The talents had started to line the beach, the fairies all waiting with anxious impatience for the ships to show up. 

 

Tinkerbell could feel herself shake slightly as she looked on the scene.  The ships were coming closer and it seemed that a fight was inevitable.

 

\---

 

Queen Clarion looked on the scene with a sigh that made her entire body shake.  She hated feeling empty; there were times she wanted to be able to cry as easily as Teardrop.  Stress had been building ever since the fight with the hardened sister and she it messed with her head and ability to smile. 

 

Now she watched as the ships started to come in and both sides proved that they were in it for a fight.  A few adventure fairies she’d sent to the ships had told her that the pirates were intent on their Hollow; they had somehow found an odd sort of ‘energy’ coming from their Home Tree.  So they had to fight, had to protect their magic and way of life. 

 

She watched the fire take to the sides and gripped hard to the side of the where she was situated and leaned back, calling light to her and throwing it hard against the sailors eyes.  The other seasons quickly tried to stop her; she only allowed it for the time.  The world may need them to continue on, but she lived for her people – her fairies, she thought she had been doing just that by protecting them from her sister.  Of course, Teary had been right, again.

 

There were many things she did not agree with her sister.  Such as the way she tried to get rid of Queen Bright.  It wasn’t like Clarion was blind to the things that Queen Bright had done wrong.  Clarion had inherited those problems when she became queen, and she had seen them immediately, and taken steps to ratify the situation.  She had to completely restructure the light fairies and take away some of their privileges, and had to do it in away that wouldn’t leave her with a lot of complaining.  Other talents she had to give meaning back into.  Make it so that baking-talents weren’t sparing time on useless chores that built resentment and basically reestablish the adventure fairies who had been shoved into odd jobs since Queen Bright had seen their talents as frivolous.  There had been others, but those were the worst offenders.

 

Clarion had remembered times when she had been tempted to follow Queen Bright’s ways a few times after seeing Teary.  It wasn’t really smart or logical, especially since she had been trying to deny the fact that Teary still retained possession of her talents, but she had seen it in Teary’s eyes that her sister knew that Queen Clarion was working on improving Pixie Hollow.  Queen Clarion was sure her sister didn’t care, no, Teary cared, but not for the fairies as individuals but them as a whole.  Teary didn’t see many fairies as actual things worthy to be saved; she saw them as tools made for a design.  Clarion knew that there were some fairies that her sister was fond of, but she also knew that if she thought them a threat to their way of life she wouldn’t pause to be rid of them.

 

That thought alone brought an uncomfortable wave of guilt through her.  She cared for them, every one of them, and she had felt a level of contempt for Queen Bright when she discovered how deep her prejudices, and Teary had known her sister also, she knew when Ree had been relieved that Queen Bright was no longer around, it’s when she’d told Teary she wasn’t so heartless as to try and kill the queen and the only way she’d forgive her sister is when Teary would say she regretted trying to overthrow Queen Bright.

 

“Queen Clarion,” a hard body hit the queen, bowling the queen over the outcrop she was standing on.  After a second of disorientation she looked down on the body on her.

 

“Thank you Rosy,” said the Queen and the young fairy on top of her smiled worriedly.  The two fairies looked back on the outcrop they had been standing on; now up in flames a few water fairies trying desperately trying to put it out. 

 

“We need to go back to the action,” said Clarion standing up.

 

“Are you sure?” asked Rosy. “You seem… distracted, distant.”

 

“I have to protect my people, and I’ll just have to expel it.  They need me, this is no time to let myself be overcome by all that’s going on,” said Queen Clarion, with a lot more strength then she was feeling.

 

“Perhaps we should take you to the Home Tree, we can’t afford to lose you Queen Clarion,” said Liesel,

 

“And what makes me more important than them?  We all play a part in Pixie Hollow and part of my job is to protect my people, I will go and do just that.  Whatever is going on must…” she was caught off guard by another explosion.  She took to the sky and looked down her people from the sky.  The talents were keeping most of the pirates on their ships, though a few small ones were trying desperately to reach the land.  Even from where she was floating she could see their faces set to find treasure.

 

She summoned her light to her and threw it against the nearest two boats and blinding all the men on it, giving the other fairies time to drive them back toward their ships, at least her fairies had the sense not to try and destroy the ships.  Then the men would be even more determined to make it onto the land.

 

Queen Clarion quickly started toward the battle before her helpers or Rosy could stop her.  She needed to protect her people, she needed to stop dwelling on past mistakes and move forward.

 

Her wings beat the winds as she rushed forward, her eyes scanning the wreckage.  Healing fairies were trying to gather those hurt into three well protected sections.  Clarion looked on it all, her furiously fighting fairies attacking and backing each other.  She should have known that something like this was inevitable.  There had been more healing fairies coming over the last year, that always spelled trouble, like more dust fairies appearing in Pixie Hollow as dark magic became more and more prominent. 

 

She allowed her power to fly to the various camps set up, hoping that the power given by the dust would keep some from falling into the deep sleep.  She knew that there may be a few that couldn’t be saved and that helped harden her heart against the invaders.

 

“Fairies have heart, attack them as one, the seasons are ours to command and we will not let these invaders take our lands our magic, it is ours!” shouted Ree her voice carrying to all the fairies who cheered as one and moved forward in a wave of attack.  It wasn’t enough; it never seemed to be enough.  They were still going to get through; they had the technology and the power.  They were fairies; they were beings of creation not of destruction. 

 

She squared her shoulders.  This would have to be enough; their magic would have to be strong enough to stop it.  What else could they do, and she would help fight until the last fairy had fallen into the deep sleep.  They were fairies, creatures that were built for everything, that fate would guarantee they had all they needed to complete their jobs and to keep the peace, to overcome any obstacles… it was a good thing that the Queen paused for that moment, Tinkerbell wasn’t that good at stopping from a mad sprint in flying.

 

“Queen Clarion,” said Tinkerbell trying to catch her breath as Ree tried to refined her center. “I have an idea.”

 

“What is it?” asked Ree immediately jumping at the bright fairies idea.

 

“We can’t do anything against them, they’ll be on us soon,” said Tinkerbell, Clarion agreed and hoped that Tinkerbell had an idea somewhere in this little speech of hers and smiled encouragingly to speed up the process. “I read… beyond Pixie Hollow, there’s a tree, or something, but they protect, and while the Indian’s are a bit… touchy, I think they’ll help us.”

 

“Who child?” asked Ree, completely lost on the explanation and hoping the poor tinker fairiy hadn’t lost her mind in all the action.

 

“The Lost Boys, they enjoy this kind of thing, fighting pirates I mean,” said Tinkerbell.  Clarion’s eyes widened, why hadn’t she thought of that?  But, she couldn’t leave her people, they would need the support until Tinkerbell was able to fly and get help. 

 

“Do you know where they are?” asked Ree, her eyes scanning over and wincing at the remains of the beach. 

 

“Yes, I remember the map exactly; I don’t think I’ll have problems,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“Maybe Vidia should go with you,” said Ree.

 

“No, I know she’s the fastest fairy, but she doesn’t know the way in the end that will slow me down,” said Tinkerbell.  Ree looked into the tinkers eyes and nodded.

 

“We’re all counting on you Tinkerbell,” said Ree and kissed the tinker on the forehead. Tinkerbell smiled and flew away, leaving a little in her wake.  Ree stared after her for a minute, she’d never seen a fairy besides Vidia fly that fast.  Still, it wasn’t often that this sort of thing happened to them, and fairies could do extraordinary things under pressure. 

 

Queen Clarion looked at her people and her breath caught.  She didn’t know if she could actually do this, if they could hold out until the Lost Boys could get there.  She needed back up, she needed someone she trusted because as much as she wanted to do well for her people, her own insecurities kept getting in the way of her making appropriate decisions.  A gold hand immediately covered her wrist with the dark braid, but she paused.

 

Did she dare?  But then, what was there to worry about? Teardrop was already loose.  It was time to see where her sister’s loyalties lied, to see if she would save Pixie Hollow or if they would leave them to die.  It didn’t matter much; either Teardrop would come and help hold them off until Tinkerbell brought the Lost Boys, or they were all as good as asleep.

 

What Queen Clarion didn’t know was that in the midst of the battle a pale hand had grasped onto an amber necklace, just as a certain Fast Flying fairy prayed for her friend to come and save them.

 

\---

 

Teardrop felt it.  The threat on Pixie Hollow and the incoming doom.  She had tried to warn Ree, she had tried to get the message to her stubborn sister before all this, so maybe losing some of fairies would open her sisters’ eyes the way words hadn’t.  There was just one problem, could Ree win, she seemed -- distracted.  So the fairy paced around Vidia’s room trying to ignore the slight thoughts that came from Clarion’s brain into her own, this had been easier in the past, but now her sister’s thoughts seemed to pervade and overwhelm her own mind.

 

She knew what they had to do… why weren’t they going for help?  Why hadn’t they gone for help the minute that the pirates showed themselves?  Ree knew that fairies weren’t made for fighting, they might have been able to hold off the pirates for a half-an-hour, but would it be too late for that by the time they went for help?  What if they never thought about it?

 

Teardrop turned on her toes and looked out the window.  She could hear the noise and cries created by the battle.  Should she just wait here?  Just guess that Vidia would be selfish enough to somehow make it through?  If she helped, would it really make that much of a difference?  Would waiting in Vidia’s house really teach her sister anything?  Or would it just make the gap between the two sisters worse?

 

A dull call rang in her head and a dark hand grasped at the gold braid on her wrist.  She was being called, her sister was acknowledging her.  But would Ree just send her into exile after she helped out?  And then an echo sounded.  Teary looked down on the other wrist and looked at the dark braid around her left wrist and just felt Vidia’s plea.  Well, that sucked.  She was mad enough at Ree to ignore her call, but she couldn’t ignore Vidia. 

 

Teary smiled, no, she didn’t have a choice.  How many people could take part of her heart and soul?  If anyone had asked before she met Vidia she would have said there was room only for her sister.  How many other people would become that important to her?  How many others would she sacrifice the entirety of Pixie Hollow, put before creating the seasons?  It was dangerous enough when she knew that she couldn’t sacrifice Clarion and that had landed her in the library being virtually no help at all.

 

She propped herself on the window sill and sat there looking out at the lush greenery around her.  Would today be the last day she would see it?  Would her choice mean the end for her and Ree?  But if she didn’t then Pixie Hollow would be destroyed.  Teary smiled sadly, she’d save Vidia at least, made sure that the fast flying fairy had a chance to reach her goal of being the fastest ever.  Teary was sure that no matter who was queen Vidia would never stop working toward her goal. 

 

She scanned the battle before her, dropping fast enough to avoid a wild shot by the pirates.  She could see the bodies of fairies littering the beach and five ships coming fast.  Her sister was blinding the one closest and throwing dust to help heal and ‘recharge’ fairies, some having an unhealthy gold glow to them.  Dust in vast amounts wasn’t good for most fairies, highly addictive with debilitating ___.  Her sister was a bit of an exception, mostly because like the Home Tree she had become a source for the dust to come through, Teary dreaded the day that her dust ever became tainted with tar.

 

Teardrops landed in the outcrop, her eyes scanning over the massacre and watching as the pirates slowly but surely beat the fairies back, coming closer to getting to the land, to throwing them all into a deep sleep and taking the magic for their own use, which would lead to disaster.

 

She heard a small gasp from her sister.  She supposed that she was being pretty bold by standing next to her sister, but really, Ree had the best place to see the entire battle.  She breathed in, she felt the various talents run through her veins, calling on the ones she actually knew how to use and letting the others follow with vengeance, and let her powers overtake her.  She breathed; ignoring the little nagging that soon would become an storm in her mind and make her overtake all Pixie Hollow.  Instead she threw it from her and became an outlet, throwing her power into every fairy, increasing their strength and making the air crackle with power.

 

“It’s not enough, it’s still not enough,” Teary heard one of Ree’s helpers say. 

 

“We just have to give them enough support until Tinkerbell can come with the Lost Boys,” said Ree seriously.  Teardrop found a smile spreading across her lips.  Good, her sister had eventually gotten her head back in place and sent for someone who knew what they were doing. “Thank you Teary.”

 

Teardrop spared her sister a quick smirk and returned her attention to sending her power into the fairies.  They were finally together, Ree moving her people forward leading them to victory with Teardrop backing them.  They would just have to deal with the consequences later.

 


	13. Listen to the Bell’s of the Lost Pirates

Tinkerbell felt a small thrill when she left the confines of Pixie Hollow.  She could tell the difference, something less stable in the air, something that reminded her more of the Main Land though with a touch more magic in the works.  She couldn’t dwell on it for long, she still needed to find the Lost Boys, and she knew that if she got too far off course she’d never find her way there and then Pixie Hollow would be destroyed.

 

Tinkerbell tried to picture her way through the tumbles of trees and try to match where she was from the map from the library, but she only started to panic over the fact that the further she went the more lost she appeared.  The Lost Boys were somewhere around the area, she just knew it.  According to the map, the Lost Boys were halfway between the pirates and the fairies.  They had some sort of base set up here.  Well, hopefully they still lived in that tree.  One never knew exactly how up to date the books at the library were, Teardrop was only one fairy and had been restricted to a life in the library unable to find anything out for herself.

 

The pixie looked around at the trees, there had to be some sort of give-away, footprints, a lever, smoke, noise coming from the ground… anything.  But, Tinkerbell tried to stop any tears from coming.  She had to find them; they were the only ones who could stop them, and the stories, oh the stories.  She had found an unhealthy interest in the stories of daring and adventure.  It had driven Teardrop insane until the librarian had taken one of the books and hit Tinkerbell over the head with it and told her to stop reading books meant for adventure fairies.

 

“Hey there little fairy, what are you doing here?  Don’t tell me that Pixie Hollow has lost light again,” Tinkerbell tried to stop her rapidly pounding heart.  She was looking into two very big green eyes.

 

“Hey, Peter Pan, I think you scared the poor thing,” Tinkerbell glanced down to see a boy in what looked like bear skin.  She then blinked in shock and looked back at the boy in front of her.  He was maybe ten or eleven dressed in green with a pointed hat topped with a red feather, and he was floating.

 

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous,” said the boy putting his hands on his hips and scowling at the other boy and then glancing at Tinkerbell and wrinkling his face in almost concern. “Though she does seem a little stressed.  You alright little fairy?  Just fly above the trees and you’ll find plenty of sun there.”

 

Tinkerbell scowled in annoyance and hit her foot against the air to express her anger, because, for some reason, she couldn’t find her voice and shook her head.

 

“No?  Then what’s the problem little fairy?” asked Peter Pan, his head cocking to the side as he ran his eyes over her small body.  Tinkerbell put her hands against her hips, took a deep breath, and started to explain.  The only problem was, the more she talked the more confused Peter looked.

 

“Pretty,” said the one in a raccoon suite, stopping Tinkerbell’s story. “Her voice sounds like bells.”

 

Tinkerbell felt her face grow red. 

 

“I’m afraid that he’s right little fairy,” said Peter Pan and then smiled mischievously at her. “To us your voice just sounds like bells.”

 

Tinekrbell folded her hands in front of her.  She had to somehow communicate to them what she wanted them to do.  To get them to Pixie Hollow, but know and be ready for a battle when she got there.

 

“Well, little fairy, do you need us for something?  You don’t need us to move anything do you?” asked the Peter Pan, scrunching his face at the thought having to do work.  Tinkerbell started to panic a little, she couldn’t lose him, he was their only hope.

 

Tinkerbell hit her hand on her palm having got a plan.  Peter Pan blinked at her and all of his attention returned to her eager body.  She covered one eye, scowled, and growled… Peter Pan blinked, still looking confused.

 

“Pirates!” shouted one of the boys on the ground.  And Tinkerbell pointed at him excitedly and nodded her head vigorously.

 

“What about pirates?” asked Peter Pan, he sounded serious and eager.  Tinkerbell pointed toward Pixie Hollow. “There are pirates at the Pixie Place?”

 

Tinkerbell nodded her head and tried not to confuse the boy by glaring him for getting the name of her homeland wrong.

 

“But we haven’t seen Captain Hook or any of them try,” said the one in a bear suite thickly.

 

“Ah, we underestimated him and now the poor fairies are being targeted,” said Peter Pan. “Come on men, it’s our job to save the fairies from those fiendish pirates.  Lead the way little fairy; we’ll gladly drive those pirates from your land.”

 

Tinkerbell blushed and nodded.  She liked the boy, he was a little loud and arrogant, but there was something appealingly assertive about him.  She took the sky with Peter Pan besides her with a cry of a rooster that made her giggle.  She glanced down; the other Lost Boys were following her on the ground.  They had to be enough, they had so many battles and stories put in the history section. Teardrop had said that the section only had the facts of what happened that they weren’t just stories so they had to be enough what with all those scuffles with Captain Hook and other villainous pirates.

 

“This’ll be fun, be great if it’s that old cod-piece, maybe I can feed his other hand to the ‘gator this time,” said Peter Pan and shot her a wide smile.  Tinkerbell responded with a weak smile of her own. She wasn’t sure how she could tell him that it wasn’t any pirates from before, but hopefully he would be able to tell before blindly moving in.

 

She looked down on them, they might look young, they might not be as tall as the pirates, but they were pure and battle challenged.  Yes, she could trust them, they wouldn’t abandon them, they wouldn’t fail them.  The only thing she really needed to worry about was how the fairies were doing, and hope that the pirates hadn’t already taken over.  And with that thought she put a bit more power into her wings and flew forward faster, Peter Pan crowing joyfully behind her ready for the fight. 

 

\---

 

Vidia was getting sick of this.  Pealing herself off the ground the fast flying fairy shoved the healer fairy away from her and to another fairy who actually looked on the brink.  She pushed the blood from her lip and sneered.  Of course since she was a fast flying fairy, one of the best around had her fighting on the fronts lines.  Her wings hurt when she had gotten in the way of a more ambitious wave from the water-talents.

 

She scanned the area and sent a strong wind at another cannon ball, making it curve enough to miss the catapult; they were already down to five.  She might have told Tinkerbell that she made forces of nature, but in truth she couldn’t do much more then small twisters and a heavy wind.  Most fast flying fairies could only do miniature cyclones and a calming breeze.  They didn’t create the greatest natural disasters, they couldn’t, it wasn’t within their power. 

 

The power boost they had gotten after she had called Teary had helped.  All the fairies together had gotten enough power to push all the boats back with a combination of the wind and water.  But now that power was dimming.  Teardrop and the Queen were both rapidly draining themselves.  Teardrop by pouring her power into the fairies on the battlefield and Queen Ree by giving all her magic to fairies in need and trying to blind a whole boat when it got to close.

 

A shiver ran over Vidia’s spine as she glanced over the battle field.  It wasn’t just fairies, the animal talents had eventually relented and let the small animals come and help protect their home.  Of course, in the end, that meant that their small bodies now littered the beach.  Vidia gulped; once the animal-talents had time to grieve she wanted to be as far away from this spot as possible, she’d had enough crying for one lifetime thanks to Teary.

 

Her wings beat against the air as she looked around, where was the next bad area?

 

“Vidia move!” Vidia dodged; of course she got in front of a catapult.  At this rate she was going to be killed by friendly fire before the pirates even got a swing through.  Though for some reason these pirates didn’t have swords and instead fixated on large guns with pointy ends that ripped through the air and flesh faster than Vidia had ever seen before.

 

She flew forward with a wave to garden fairies, they were trying to overgrow the ships, have the plants overturn and take apart the boats.  The only problem was that these ships were made of metal, which sounded odd.  How could metal float?  It meant that the plants had nowhere to take hold and that the fire some of catapults were throwing at the ships were useless unless it hit someone, and they were good at putting themselves out.

 

“Vidia, this way!” the fast flying fairy flew toward the voice, and was slammed into by a small body, once again returning to the sand.  She spit it up and glared at the annoying thing, which turned out to be the annoying garden fairy. “Vidia!”

 

“I’m coming, give me a second to get rid of this dead beat!” she shouted and then winced when the very sand under her rippled under the cannon balls force when landing.

                                                                                                                      

“We need to move,” said Rosetta and then flinched when she tried to get up.

 

“No, you need to get off me so I can back to protecting this Queen forsaken place,” snapped Vidia and threw a blast of air at the girl and flinched when a fairy landed hard in the sand a few inches away.  Rosetta flew in the air and then flinched as her wings caught in the air, a sizable gash in one of the wings.

 

“I have an idea,” said Rosetta as the fast flying fairies surrounded Vidia and started pulling her into the air, counting on her to lead their talent-kin in victory so most of them stayed out of the make-shift hospitals setup.  So far most remained in the air, though victory was an alluding presence.

 

“Go and get that wing looked at,” snapped Vidia shrugging the other fairies off. “You fly on that wing and you’ll destroy it.”

 

“I can still fly,” asserted Rosetta and glared at the purple fairy. “Listen, if you fast flying fairies can get me and a few other garden fairies close enough we can spread seeds on the pirates and have the plants grow into them, have them destroy the pirates that way.”

 

“Sounds messy,” said Torno next to Vidia, all the fast flying looked to Vidia, waiting for her decision on whether to carry out the plan or not.  Vidia tried not to show her annoyance.  The other fast flying fairies made it a point to avoid spending time with her most of the time, now that they were in trouble they looked to her for guidance.  Usually that didn’t bother her, but for some reason, with Teary’s power running through her veins, her mind went to friendship and crap like that.  She needed to talk to Teary about that.

 

“It’s the best idea we got at the second,” grumbled Vidia and the fast flying fairies took to the sky, five garden fairies appearing out of nowhere and lining up behind them.

 

“Charge!” shouted Vidia, and immediately felt ridiculous for doing so, but as she kept moving forward sending a shockwave of wind before her and she shivered as she felt a wave of air pass close to her.  She hated bullets, at least when they had used arrows they had been easy to bat to the side.

 

She shook her head, she couldn’t let herself be distracted she needed to fly the garden fairies to the pirates.  Even if it meant being ripped apart herself.  The pirates were close, one even trying to take a step out of the boat, by this time, a sneer of triumph on his ugly mug.  She sent a sharp blast of wind making him wince against its sting.  A few men yelled in surprise and let go of their guns as tinker fairies let loose the guns Tinkerbell had created for them.  It seemed that they had backup in their plan.

 

Finally she was on them, flying close enough to skim through them and scatter the vengeful garden fairies on them.  A few of them were blinking rapidly, blinded from light fairies or Queen Clarion, though the ones who with shades over their eyes were already reaching back for their guns. 

 

“What the—ah!” screamed one of the pirates, Vidia looked back and smiled.  The pirates had become a breeding ground for the plants.  She met Rosetta’s eyes and with a nod she had the other agreeing to go on and spread the plants until they ran out of seeds or were shoot down.

 

“Fairies retreat!” echoed Queen Clarion’s voice.  Vidia looked back and realized that another smaller ship had somehow slipped past them and the pirates were near the shore.  Swearing under her breath she turned to attack back, hoping that the light fairies were helping to slow them down and perhaps a few garden fairies following their show and making the pirates into gardens with their magic.

 

She was moving fast and hard and it hurt.  This wasn’t a body; this was hard and big with a slight roundness to it.  The next thing she knew she was plowed into the ground and the heavy thing was moving on.  She guessed it was nice that it hadn’t stayed and squashed her, but she already felt crushed and stung.  Her ribs, spine, legs, front arms. Painfully Vidia forced her arm in front of her and just stared at the damage.  Her entire arm was ripped up and blood was slowly oozing from the shallow but continuous wound.

 

Hissing she closed her eyes, only to force them open a second later.  No matter how badly it hurt she couldn’t let herself fall asleep.  She had no desire for an everlasting sleep, and she had a feeling that slipping into oblivion would bring her there.  She could feel her magic leaking from her with the blood.  Every drip taking her farther away from her goal.

 

The fast flying fairy snorted in forced amusement.  If that cannon ball had destroyed her wings she’d rather sleep forever.  She lived to be the fastest, and as Teary pointed out, she hadn’t quite beat the fastest speed yet, almost, she’d tried, now all she needed was a little extra practice and she’d be flying even faster than Runner ever had.

 

Her vision started to gray, the black edges playing colors against her eyes as her head pounded against the pain and her spine refused to move.

 

A gentle hand ran over her body.  Vidia glanced up wondering if she had blacked out for a second.  The healing-talent smiled down at her worriedly.  She ran a hand over Vidia’s cheek and the fast flying fairy winced in pain.  The healer’s mouth moved but Vidia couldn’t tell what she was saying.  She felt far away, like her head was filled with cotton.

 

She blinked slowly, even that action hurting, trying to ignore that even breathing sent flares of pain running through her with each breath.  She felt an odd calm, something that should have been nerve wracking and terrifying was, instead, acting to as a means to lull her to sleep like a lullaby, something away from the pain and the hurt.  She glanced down on her body.  A white cat-tail dress had been slipped over her ruined clothes and she could see red splotches on the makeshift gown.

 

She looked toward the sky when the warm sun stopped beating against her body and lazily looked up at a rugged human who was smirking over Pixie Hollow.  So they had finally made it onto the shore.  Seemed that even with Teary they were domed.  Vidia found a smile spreading across her lips.  The light chatter of the healer stopped and she gasped when she followed her gaze up at the giant.

 

The man casually shot his gun to the side and screams erupted.  The man chuckled evilly, and threw his hand with the gun against his shoulder.  He took out a cigarette and then a lighter.  A small flame appeared, and Vidia watched, trying to ignore the small hands pulling at her body.  The cigarette burned dimly under the light and smoke billowed from thick lips in the form of a deep chuckle.  With the flame still lit the man let go of the lighter, and Vidia watched, unmoving, as it started its decent towards her prone form.

 

“Aha!” a flash of green and the man was flying back into the water with a Main Land curse.  Vidia forced her body up on her elbows.

 

“No, careful you aren’t in any condition to be moving,” said the healer-talent but Vidia ignored at her and stared in shook at the green clad boy smiling in triumph up in the air.  Humans couldn’t fly.

 

“Uhuhu, no messing with the fairies, they bring the seasons and have our protection from naves like you,” said the green boy his chest stuck out proudly and hands fisted on his hips. 

 

“Who do you think you are boy?” demanded one of the pirates.

 

“Peter Pan, and it’s time you pirates learn your place,” said the boy and was echoed with other young human voices and what looked like one of their feet came close to crushing her and the healer.  Vidia used the healers surprise to jump away from the woman, her curiosity somehow overcoming the aches in her body.

 

“Pirates,” scoffed one of the men. “We’re explorer’s boys and our goal is only to find the source of power that our ship showed us a few weeks ago.”

 

“You sure look like a pirate,” said a young boys booming voice.  Vidia tried to limp over to a high spot letting her body lean from one grass to the next her eyes on the sky. “If you aren’t pirates why are you attacking the fairies?  You shouldn’t do that, they’re in charge of keeping your world in balance.”

 

“We don’t need the help of some silly fairies to keep our world running,” a general buzz of annoyance came from the fairies; human’s could be so stupid when they grew up. “Plus they attacked us.”

 

“Nice try,” said Peter Pan with a shake of his head and a waving finger. “But we know the fairies better than that, don’t we boys?”

 

The Lost Boys cheered, though for what Vidia wasn’t sure.

 

“I think it’s time to drive them to their own kind,” said Peter Pan.

 

“We aren’t going to fight boys,” said the man with a degrading chuckle. “So why don’t you little guys go run home to your mother?”

 

“Don’t have them!” said the green boy enthusiastically. “Come on, let’s get this party started!”

 

The green kid threw a small dagger that came close to the pirate knee deep in water.  The man jumped a little and put a shocked hand to his cheek and drew back to probably find blood.  His face turned an interesting shade of red and the man glared with all his might at the self proclaimed Peter Pan.

 

“I’ll get you boy, mark me, we treat you just like your little fairy friends and take the source that is rightfully ours!” shouted the pirate and his men cheered in agreement.

 

“We’ll see about that,” laughed the green boy. “Come on men, let’s take these pirates down, and remember, if any of the fairies hit you with pixie dust just think of a happy thought and you’ll be flying just like me!”

 

With that cocky speech the boy crowed and swooped in on the land bound pirates still deep in the water.  The Lost Boys followed with war cries of their own, small rocks and arrows leading their pursuit as they charged into battle.  Only a few guns shots were heard, much less than before, but the men weren’t used to the Lost Boys and had never learned to ignore them as the ones ingrained in Never Land had.  They were taught children were pure, something to protect, but the Lost Boys didn’t need protection, they were a force  of their own and took a measure of happiness from beating thick pirate sculls in and then celebrating in their tree fort or with the Indians.

 

Vidia watched in wonder as they attacked.  Some Lost Boys took to the sky with a whoop, glowing with the slight shade of gold that came from the magic of dust.  That was interesting, it gave fairies their talents and humans the ability to fly.  It made her wonder what Peter Pan had done in order to receive the gift of flight from them before.  Arrows and a slingshot rocks flew through the air in front and the cries were ear shattering.

 

“You’re not going anywhere like that little miss,” said a booming fairy voice.  Vidia choked as muscled arms restrained her against a generous bust.

 

“Ow,” she said rather pathetically.  Vidia turned to see a rather large fairy with a firm build with gold curls and jutting chin.

 

“Alright, I got her Stitches, you go ahead!” shouted the woman.  Vidia glared at the woman behind her.

 

“Who—“ Vidia winced against her aching body and was rather glad that something was supporting her. 

 

“My name if Georgia girly, and I don’t care who you think you are, you’re not going anywhere looking like that, your dress is almost soaked with blood,” said the woman and swept the legs right from under Vidia and the fast flying fairy yelped in pain as her bones knocked together and her wounds pulled. “Now, let’s get you patched up.  No more need to worry about all this, the Lost Boy’s will care of everything, all you need to do is not move for the next two week.”

 

“What?” screeched Vidia and then looked down with panicked eyes. “But my flying.”

 

“We’ve got to fix up those wings before you fly deary,” said the hardy healer fairy as she descended into a well protected circle of area with a whole slew of hurt fairies were laid on makeshift beds. 

 

Georgia placed Vidia carefully down on one of the few beds left.  She quickly stripped off the white cotton and what remained of Vidia’s clothes from before with a sharp rock and started to poke and prod.  With a sigh Vidia tried to ignore the fairies ministrations.  She didn’t want to see it, and she tried not to worry.  She didn’t want to lose her ability to fly, that would… she wasn’t strong enough to carry on after that.  She didn’t have anything besides that.  Sure, she had Teary, but who knew for how long, and it wasn’t like she could stomach Teary for that long, definitely not constantly.  Fast flying had always been her thing, had been her reason for living.

 

“Don’t worry little thing, it looks like you’ll just have to stay off your feet for a little while.  Now turn around and let’s take a gander at your wings,” said Georgia and paused when a loud explosion rocked the ground.  Vidia allowed herself to be flipped over and just listened to the sounds of the battle; it was hard to tell who was winning from just the noise.  It was true that the Lost Boys had fought pirates before, but these were pirates of a different kind, something that still possessed half a brain and were a little more advanced than the ones from the past.

 

“Stop worrying little one,” said the healer pulling over Vidia so she was lying on her back. “They’ll take care of us, plus, nothing you can do in your condition.  We’ll just have to wait until it ends.  Be thankful, you’re not as bad off as some of the others.  Some will be lucky to wake up and become whole, forget about flying.  But we’ll do our best; we do have magic on our side.  You want my advice, I suggest you sleep this off, soon as all this mayhem is over we can send you home and give your recovery over to your friends.”

 

“Friends… right,” said Vidia looking to the side.  The matron’s hands stilled for a second.

 

“Don’t worry sweets, I’ve had sprites like you before, someone always comes,” Vidia glanced at the healer and then immediately looked back up to the sky.

 

“If they do I’ll just throw them out,” said Vidia, thinking about the possibility of the stupid animal-talent coming to help.  Or, the Queen save her, that annoying garden fairy. 

 

“You won’t have the strength,” said Georgia with a slightly evil smile. “Now take your medicine and go to sleep.”

 

Vidia choked on the concoction for a minute before her eyes became heavy and with the sting and grit between her teeth and on her tongue, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

\---

 

The voices were loud and above her.  Vidia cracked an eye against the light of day.  No explosions, that was good.  She was awake, so they must won, or waking would have been a problem.  Also there was green around her, and any places that pirates tended to take over were overwrought with small fire and a barren landscape, at the least the stench of burning was prevalent.

 

“Oh, I do wish they’d do this somewhere else,” Vidia turned her head and watched Georgia purse her lips at the sight above them.  Vidia looked up to see the large Lost Boy that could fly talking with a miniature looking Queen Clarion.  Where was Teary?  Had they already locked her up?  Could the queen fake a smile if that were the case?

 

“It was no problem Ree!” said the boy happily, hands still fisted on his hips. “Where is that sister of yours?  Um, no offense, but she’s easier to understand.”

 

“I’m afraid that she practically collapsed after the fight.  She was sending her own power into all the fairies, she’s completely unreachable at the moment,” said the Queen with a kind smile. 

 

“Well, you are small little things, I guess it can’t be helped,” shrugged Peter Pan, completely missing how amazing that particular skill was. “Well, um, I mean, it was fun, but I was wondering, I mean I did save you, and it’s becoming harder…”

 

“To fly?” smiled Clarion. “Yes, it will eventually fade on human’s.  Here this should be enough to last you another century.”

 

“Cool, thanks Ree, this is great,” said Peter Pan with a smile. “I don’t think you should have any more trouble from those pirates, they’ll find their way to Pirates’ Cove, they always do.  Then we’ll be able to stop them easy.”

 

“Thank you,” said Queen Clarion with a deep bow.

 

“Ah, no problem, it’s our pleasure, isn’t men?” asked Peter Pan looking down to the right.  A cry from said boys attempted to break her ear drums.  Vidia caught a hint of what looked like a fox ears appear high above the tall beach grass and glared.  They better not step on her in their enthusiasm.

 

“You just keep working and maybe try and convince your sister to be the one to talk to us from now on,” there was a slight wave of giggles broke through the group of fairies.

 

“Is there something wrong?” asked the Queen looking down in the direction of the Lost Boys.

 

“Oh, no ma’am,” said a boys voice, close, but not too close. “It’s just your voice sound like wind, or chimes, or bells, not that it isn’t pretty, but it’s a little disconcerting.  I mean that pretty one you sent to us sounded like bells when she tried to speak.”

 

“You mean Tinkerbell?” asked Queen Clarion, and Vidia’s eyes widened, so that was who got the Lost Boys.  The annoying tinker seemed to be able to think fast on her feet in pressure.  Stupid feather.

 

“Wow, that’s ironic,” said one of the boys, slurring the word a little, as if unsure about the meaning.

 

“Anyway,” said Peter Pan, fidgeting in the air, his skin a nice sheen of gold. “We should probably be going.”

 

“Of course,” said the Queen with a small bow.

 

“Tell your sister to get well soon,” said Peter Pan and flew away with a wave of his hand. “Oh, and give my best to Tinktock.”

 

He was off so fast, his men following so close behind that he probably didn’t see the queen flinch at the mention of… some sort of Tinker fairy.  Since it sounded like the last time the Queen had had this close communication with Peter Pan there was a very good chance that the fairy was no longer among the living. 

 

She leaned back against the covers.  It was over, and it seemed that the pirates hadn’t even made it past the beach.  Well, that was good; they had done enough damage to last several centuries worth of trouble.  Vidia forced herself to close her eyes.  She’d sleep through the worst of it, and if that stupid animal-talent did show up to take care of her she’d ask what they did to Teary and how much longer it seemed Queen Clarion could hold up.

 

Teary’s power disappeared suddenly leaving Vidia’s eyes wide.  She glanced around her and noticed that others had grabbed onto the same area, a place near the heart, but still far from it.  It was just at the side where their magic could be said to be stored, their own magic, not the dust they used.  What did it mean?  Had they found away to stop Teary’s powers somehow that still allowed Clarion to be dripping with dust?

 

Vidia gulped, this didn’t feel good.  A wave of magic ran over her and there was collective shiver from all the fairies present.  Vidia’s breath caught, Teary wasn’t going to try anything stupid, was she?  Vidia knew that nothing good was happening when dark purple clouds started to gather in the sky.  Vidia knew that somehow she was going to have to interfere, and her not supposed to do anything for herself for the next few weeks.  Teary was so going owe her after this.

 

\--

 

It was exhausting.  Just because the various talents ran through her didn’t mean she had unlimited power.  Sometime before the Lost Boys had shown up she had felt her ability to support the fairies in all slipping and making decisions on which talents were more important to support during the fight. 

 

Now she lay on the ground, propped and looking at her sister’s four helpers.  She had poured all her strength into the fight, giving everyone an extra boast when the boys came, her own excitement helping to fuel her grip on the talents.  Still, it would be simpler to use them only as her own, but numbers could overpower strength, a lesson taught to her a century ago.  Finally she had given the last of her light to her sister and fallen into a slump.

 

She liked Peter Pan, really; but she also had a good memory of who he was and knew for a fact that stupid jerk tended to drive her insane.  So she would let her sister deal with it and if she was forgiven be sure to teach the Queen how to properly speak to the boy.

 

Teary looked up sleepily and tried to ignore the way the helpers seemed to jump at her every little movement.  Not that she could blame them, Ree only tended to bring them along if the queen thought she’d need backup.  Which meant these four had seen her at her worse, and that wasn’t anything to scoff at.  There was a reason most sane fairies feared her.

 

Now the only question remained was what they were going to do to her.  Which was a tossup between realizing that she would protect Pixie Hollow no matter what the consequence and let her free to learn her talents and thus control, or if Ree asked that stupid question about Queen Bright and thus condemned the both of them.  Teardrop couldn’t tell at the moment which path her kind but stubborn sister would take. 

 

Her sister.  The twit was the reason that they all now cowered in the corner.  She was exhausted and those stupid fairy seasons were at the other end of their little cave.  This was so incredibly stupid.  Teary wondered where Vidia was, she hoped the silly thing wouldn’t come to her rescue, though there would be more danger of Fawn doing that than Vidia.  Vidia would hate to be alive but unable to perfect her need to be the fastest ever. 

 

Teardrop pushed herself up and watched Peter talk idly with her sister.  Moron, she didn’t want to see him, though it was sort of nice to know that someone cared about her enough to ask.  Teardrop frowned and looked down at her wrists.  Why did Ree have to be an idiot?  Teardrop wasn’t someone that should be underestimated; her power had given a sizeable amount of strength and allowed the fairies to hold out until the Lost Boys came.

 

Wind pulled around her body.  It didn’t want the rest, it wanted her, it wanted to work through someone untrained, someone afraid to try and rein it in.  A chill filled her body and Teary let it.  She could hear – something around her… but it didn’t matter.  She hadn’t felt this in so long, and it felt, she needed to use it, needed to bring it against the one who wronged her, what other reason could she have it for?

 

Teardrop let the wind stand her on shaky legs.  The very ground collapsed under her, the dirt singing in a way that stopped Teardrop’s heart for a second.  If she didn’t make her sister see things her way she’d be trapped under all that dirt so completely that she’d be trapped until her death.  No, _she_ commanded the talents, not her sister.  Ree only had dust and light, she was powerful, but she could never really understand.

 

Grass caught her body and threw it on shaky blue wings.  Cries from the restrained four helpers brought a smile to her lips.  Easy, all she needed to do was find her sister.  She’d make her pay, or she’d make sure that the silly thing never stood between her and the outside again.  It was her prerogative after all.  Ree was easily replaceable, even Vidia, though the fast flying fairy would probably be in full support of her.  Which was good, because even her wind talent seemed to recognize the obsessed fairies name.

 

“Teary that was great!  Thank you for the boost,” the blonde tinker that was connected with the Main Land appeared in front of her.  She was a special case, and it would be better if she could keep her, but not now, the tinker looked up to Ree. “What’s wrong Teary?”

 

Ree looked at her and Teardrop saw it reflecting in the glinting eyes, the queen knew there was something wrong with her sister.

 

“Tinkerbell, get away from Teary,” said Ree and Tinkerbell turned away from the dark fairy in confusion, missing the wicked smile that spread across Teardrop’s face as she did so.

 

“Why--?” asked Tinkerbell, and Teardrop’s hand gripped her head, pulling back as the tinker’s body fell toward the shore, eyes blank. 

 

Light was swallowed by a leaf and Teary’s eyes returned to her sisters and with one cackling laugh the battle between sisters finally commenced.

 


	14. Trust and Betrayal

Tinkerbell came awake almost as soon as she hit the sand.  A few fairies immediately followed her descent and started fussing over her, but all eyes kept glancing back at the sky.  Tinkerbell followed their gazes and saw Teary and Queen Clarion throwing talents dangerously against each other with colors exploding in the sky.  Teary was smiling in a way that seemed crazed and her eyes glowed with some sort of evil Tinkerbell couldn’t name.  Was this really fairy she had grown so used to?  Teardrop seemed so different now.  All those things she had been accused of seemed probable with those eyes.

 

“And that would be why we suggested that you not get involved,” Tinkerbell looked in shock at Scrawl.  The teacher-talent smirked and tugged at Tinkerbell’s arm until the tinker was on her feet and moving away from under the fight.

 

“But, that isn’t Teary,” said Tinkerbell glancing back at the colors, the view slowly becoming overrun with greenery as the grass and flowers grew in a rapid rate towards the two battling sisters.

 

“Sweetheart, I was the teacher-talent who stuck around trying to catch glimpse of the evil monster.  I know what Teardrop looks like,” said Scrawl, continuing to pull Tinkerbell away from the action.

 

“You realize that you say sweetheart the same way Vidia says dear, right?” said Tinkerbell glancing back at the swirling purple clouds. 

 

“Perish the thought,” was the sarcastically reply with hard tug on the tinkers arm.

 

“Where are we going?” asked Tinkerbell, and then glanced back at the storm.  Were they really alright in there?  She didn’t want either sister hurt because of a misunderstanding, or because Teardrop had finally lost her temper, the dark fairy had a bad habit of letting her emotions control her actions.

 

“Off we go to one of the healers hideouts, need to make sure that whatever Teardrop did didn’t mess you up to badly,” said Scrawl tugging on Tinkerbell’s unhelpful weight.

 

“I’m not hurt, and we need to stop them,” said Tinkerbell finally moving but now pulling to go back toward the battle. 

 

“No, you stupid feather.  Don’t you understand this by now?  They’re ten times as powerful as us.  We’re lucky that Clarion is finally dealing with her problem on her own.  Do you know it’s said it took two legions (or something like that) of fairies before they sent Clarion with one of them to subdue that monster?  Teardrop is powerful and the only one who has a chance of beating her is with her sister,” said Scrawl and gave a good hard tug on Tinkerbell, dragging her toward the healers. 

 

“They’ll kill each other,” shouted Tinkerbell.

 

“Put each other in a deep sleep, sure, but would you rather Teardrop put us all in one?  Because at the moment she’s illogical enough to try,” snapped Scrawl.

 

“There has to be a way,” said Tinkerbell and tripped on her feet when Scrawl let go of her.  She turned to see Scrawl glaring at her.

 

“Listen, I was worried because for a minute there you were falling with no soul in your eyes, but fine, you do what you want, but know that if you do anything that causes me great grievance will lead me to make your life a living Pirates Cove,” said Scrawl and took off with a quick flick of her wings to the sky.

 

Tinkerbell frowned; she knew she was doing the right things, the only thing really.  It wasn’t even a question of it being better for the twins to reconcile.  At this point, after such a great battle, there was sure to be turmoil in the various talents, the fairies as a whole couldn’t lose their queen or find anyone suitable enough to replace her.  If nothing else the two twins needed to stop their battle simply so that the seasons still ran smoothly, it was going to be a struggle even with the queen.

 

“Tinkerbell!” said tinker flinched at the call of her name. “Thank goodness, you’re the only one I’ve been able to find so far.”

 

“Hey Iridessa,” said Tinkerbell turning to the other fairy with a forced smile.  The anxious light-talent stopped for a moment and then glared at the tinker.

 

“Oh, no, you better not be planning anything girl,” said the light fairy with a shake of her finger. “We need to get away from the purple clouds, not closer to them.”

 

“But…”

 

“Leave it to the Queen,” said Iridessa and latched onto Tinkerbell so that she knew the light fairy was scared stiff. “We need to find shelter.”

 

“If we leave it to the Queen the only thing we’ll have is more destruction and two powerful fairies who never wake up or at least have sealed their, our, and the Main Lands, fates,” said Tinkerbell irritably. 

 

“Come on Tinkerbell, you’re the only one of my friends who are not light fairies that I’ve found,” said Iridessa and Tinkerbell froze. 

 

“What about Rosetta, Fawn?” asked Tinkerbell.

 

“No, come on Tinkerbell, I need your help,” said Iridessa, folding her hands together.

 

“I-but…” said Tinkerbell.

 

“No, you still can’t be considering trying to stop them.  We need you,” said Iridessa.

 

“No one else is trying to stop them and if this goes on then we’ll be gone,” said Tinkerbell, Iridessa caught her wrist and tugged back.

 

“You can’t be serious,” said Iridessa. “You’re just going to abandon us?”

 

“I’m going to do the right thing,” said Tinkerbell and with an apologetic expression to Iridessa the tinker made her way toward the purple clouds.  Tinkerbell bit her lip as she left her friend behind her. 

 

Tinkerbell flew to where the wind started to beat hard against grass, making the twisting stems strain, flutter, and break.  It also acted better than a wall for keeping unwanted fairies out.  Tinkerbell tugged against the wind when she got too close. She needed to figure out a way in, at the moment if she tried the cyclone would throw her out, the more she got in the more it would toss… but what if she pushed as hard as she could?  Maybe if she got enough momentum and just flew as hard as she could into it, she could get far enough into that the cyclone she would actually draw her into the middle of it.

 

The tinker studied the raging thing for a moment, the ice and plants, and general mayhem making her pause.  She was going to come out black and blue no matter how careful she was.  Still, maybe the inside circle wasn’t so dangerous.  She’d just have to wing it.  This should be the hardest part anyway.  Teardrop was a stickler for logic, but if Tinkerbell could make the speech sappy enough she could probably make Teardrop cry and then she could easily be restrained.  Not that Tinkerbell would let her be locked a way, they still couldn’t lose Queen Clarion.  No, she needed to convince either the Queen, or someone close to her, to make the two twins work out their problem like they should have a one hundred years ago.

 

Well, the tinker had stalled enough.  With a heavy sigh Tinkerbell straightened, squared her shoulders, and flew into the churning mess.  The wind caught her and tried to throw her off course as soon as she entered.  With determination Tinkerbell continued in, dodging the heavier sticks and rocks to be thrown around.  She was going to have some interesting bruises after this, it was a good thing that fairies healed pretty fast. 

 

Tinkerbell made it to the second level.  There was one still fraught with wind but with stiff grass to make a cave of hard bush branches tangled together.  Tinkerbell held tight to them and brought her wings as close to her body as she could.  The wind here pushed against her hard, and Tinkerbell was grateful that the foliage was there, it gave her something to ground herself and she didn’t have to worry about her wings being destroyed and being thrown in the sea.

 

Not that it was easy; it was hard to push through all of the weeds and twigs.  Though she did know when the wind stopped, mostly because the grass was too thick to go through and even trying to squeeze her thin form through the gaps, or forcing gaps, was putting a strain on her body.  The closer she got in, the more dense it became.  She finally could hear it, well, she was sure that it was the fight, hidden in a protective ball of greenery and wind. 

 

Tinkerbell peaked through the mess and glanced at the fight.  Teardrop’s back to her, but Tinkerbell could see Clarion fine.  The Queen was frowning at Teardrop, a ball of light in her hand, and a dead eyes staring at her twin, though from her position it almost felt like the queen was looking at her with those eyes.  They were good, Tinkerbell knew that, but they were empty, so empty.  The Queen might be a little harder to convince to have a conversation with then she thought.  Tinkerbell never thought that she’d ever see such a lack of emotion in the Queen.  And even though Teardrop had such dead eyes, Tinkerbell could feel Clarion’s intention to kill, and that couldn’t be healthy if Teardrop was really just another part of her soul.

 

“Queen Ree, this has gone on long enough,” said Tinkerbell, pushing her way through the last tangles of twigs. “And you-”

 

Tinkerbell froze as she was brought hard against a soft body; her breath caught when something sharp touched her throat. 

 

“Well, look who didn’t pay attention to my little warning barrier, what a surprise,” purred Teardrop, the hand on Tinkerbell’s wrist moving up her arm and then from her chin to the bottom of her ear. “What are you going to do now Ree?  I’ve got one your pets by the neck.”

 

“Let her go Teardrop, this is between the two of us,” said Queen Clarion, her hand clamping around the light in her fist, the shade turning an angry. “Tinkerbell is a model for other talents, she’s inventive, inquisitive.”

 

“Self-destructive,” said Teardrop grabbing Tinkerbell’s wrist and twisting it painful behind her back.  Queen Clarion gulped and the light disappeared though her glare intensified. “Good girl, I wouldn’t want to hurt this tinker, we do like that what she’s done, very _inquisitive_ little thing, though she worried us at the beginning.”

 

Us?  What did Teardrop mean by us?  Tinkerbell glanced from side to side but didn’t see anyone.

 

“Teardrop, don’t think of yourself as royalty,” said the Queen.

 

“I don’t, I know I wouldn’t be a good queen, not the right people skills for it, but I know someone who does, she’ll shape up to a better queen, maybe with the right direction even better than you,” said Teardrop and ran a hand across Tinkerbell’s back.

 

“Is that why you’re doing this now, because you think I’m unfit to be queen?” asked Ree, her eyes begged the answer to be yes.

 

“No, nothing so detached, I wouldn’t try and punish my own self for something so impersonal.  I’m doing this because you locked me away, locked away my powers, kept me away for so long,” said Teary, and Tinkerbell wondered how stupid it would be if she tried to break away. “You locked away our power, our source to work through, and for that we’ll make you suffer the same.”

 

“Don’t do this,” whispered Tinkerbell. “You’re better than this.  You just need to talk, you need to forget your anger, she’s your sister.”

 

“What an interesting fairy,” mused Teardrop wrapping her arms and dragging Tinkerbell to her. “Here I am with a dagger at your gut and you’re still worried about my redemption.  How sweet.  How stupid.  I don’t care about that anymore, she locked me away, and whether they forgive me or not doesn’t matter.  All that does is…”

 

“Is what?  Revenge?  You’ve been down that path before, remember?  Queen Clarion tried to do it and you ended up in the library. Stop making yourself miserable.  Both of you!” snapped Tinkerbell.

 

“You think that this is some sort of joke?” demanded Teardrop, her grip becoming painful and the dagger pricked Tinkerbell’s skin through her dress. “This isn’t idle revenge; this isn’t just about being betrayed by a sister.  This isn’t just about the twins, this is about what was best, yes we should have remembered that the one with all the talents was born reserved and that someone with all intuition wasn’t the one to rule, but that stubborn pirate of a queen… though we underestimated the loyalty that the other could show, we always thought it was a singular thing but it seems that the two talents can be just as moronically focused then our representative.”

 

“Teary, you’ve lost your mind,” said the Queen duly, Tinkerbell couldn’t help but agree to a certain degree.

 

“Of course I have,” said Teary with a nod. “Are you willing to risk this sprites life?  With your logic, I should be unstable enough to make her fall into an everlasting sleep.  So, what say you Ree, are you really going to let this one fall simply to save your own life?” asked Teardrop, dragging her dagger up the silhouette of Tinkerbell’s body until it was resting at the tinkers neck.

 

“If I let you take me prisoner you’ll just torment the rest of the fairies for allowing you to be confined,” said the Queen, her eyes asking for forgiveness from Tinkerbell for leaving her at her sister’s mercy.

 

“Fine, I’ll promise to send you into an everlasting sleep, how does that sound, dear?” asked Teardrop sarcastically, the hand with knife flicking out to narrate her words.  Tinkerbell shoved her elbow into the dark fairies gut making Teardrop clench in on instinct and let go of the fairy.  She should have known it wasn’t that easy.  Harsh bush branches wrapped around the tinkers body and hit her hard against the side of the cocoon that surrounded the twins.

 

Trying to regain her breath, Tinkerbell looked with gaping mouth to see the two twins posed to strike.  Clarion with a sparking light encrusted ball of dust and Teardrop bringing up all the elements to a point and aiming for her sister.  For once Tinkerbell couldn’t find her voice or the right thing to say.

 

\---

 

Vidia cursed every healing-talent to the grave and back.  It had taken her forever to shake them and now her aching body was losing its grip on the adrenaline it had first felt while screaming out in pain over the stupid thing she was doing.  Vidia looked angrily up and tried to convince herself that she could pull this off and save Teardrop effortlessly.  She was a fast flying fairy, wind was her thing, her element.  She just had to spread her wings and invoke the smallest bit of magic and she’d be soaring right to the next level.

 

Of course that required her to move her wings, something that was causing Vidia a little bit of trouble at the moment.  The healing-talent had told the fast flying fairy that she would be able to use her wings… eventually.  It was a problem.  Vidia watched the various debris fly around in a raging circle and winced at the thought of any of it banging into her.  She was sure that even the lightest twig crashing against her ribs would remind that some were broken, fractured, and bruised.  If she hit the ground there was no way she was getting up again, at least not any time soon.

 

Vidia sighed and tried to find even a speck of courage.  It wasn’t easy, the only time ever did anything brave, it was when it came to perfecting her flying.  Now she had a friend that was in trouble and instead of doing the logical thing, which would be to go back and just let the twins duel it out, she was going to go and try to stop two of the most powerful fairies.  Just to prove how stupid this idea was, she had even heard that Tinkerbell had gone in to stop them.  Hopefully the tinker had somehow save Teary and gotten herself put in a deep sleep.  But that would only be in a best case scenario.

 

“I can do this,” said Vidia shaking her hands and looking determined. “And can do it without acting like an idiot… or sounding like I’m insane.”

 

Vidia glanced back at her target and took a deep breath for courage.  She could do this, she just had to not think about it too much, and of course get her stubborn wings to move.  She almost wished her wings were like a birds, if they were she could just use the wind and glide on the currents she created, instead gliding could only be done for short periods of time, and certainly not when going straight in the air.

 

Vidia frowned and touched her fist against the ground looking straight up at her objective.  She willed her wings to start, to at least make the tiniest of flutters.  All she needed to do was reach that peak, all she needed to do was fly to dodge all the debris and make it to the cocoon of grass and branches separating her from her goal.

 

A flying stump almost caught her the minute she took to the sky.  With an angry hiss Vidia started rearranging the winds to help her reach her goal.  It would be rather annoying to finally have gotten her aching wings moving only to be hit out of the sky by a flying leaf.  Not to mention embarrassing and she was sure whatever the outcome of the battle was she would never be able to live it down. 

 

“Got ya,” said Vidia and then hissed when the wind pulled at her body making her arm pop dully in its socket.  She ignored the ache and spots appearing before her eyes.

 

The fast flying fairy grit her teeth and started to navigate her way through the bramble.  She wished that there was only wind separating her from the fight.  The branches went from too thin to too thick within seconds and the constant pressure on her bones was starting to cause her to see as if in a tunnel and colorful spots to pay across her vision almost constantly.

 

The scene she finally saw was one that caught her breath.  The twins were beautiful.  Queen Clarion’s face was full of pride as she hovered in the air, a few loose strands covering her eyes, in her hands the queen held a ball of light, sparking against her gold dress.  Teardrop hovered firm, her body curled and her fists clenched and her eyes one of disgust and triumph, power surging to a point with crackling of energy.  Vidia didn’t have much time left.

 

“Teardrop!” she shouted, but she was ignored, the only head turning her way the meddling tinker’s who was held captive by twining bush branches.  Vidia tried to ignore her, Vidia had seen that gold in her friend’s eyes before, it meant that she had lost her temper and wasn’t completely in control of her actions.

 

“Teary!” she shouted, closing her eyes as if it would help the sound carry.

 

Vidia opened her eyes.  Teardrop’s face was inches from hers, hazel orbs looking down in concern.  Vidia frowned in confusion and looked around.  It looked like she was propped against Teary’s lap, the cocoon dispersed and the only thing to hint it had ever existed was the mess left all around them.  Vidia could see that a few fairies were hidden, none daring to come near them.  The only ones close were the Queen, her helpers, and (of course) Tinkerbell.

 

“Moron,” she said looking back at Teary.  Teardrop blinked and then smiled, brushing at her short hair that was slicked with sweat.

 

“Well, it seems that you have successfully proven my point,” said the queen, Vidia turned to see Clarion frowning at her sister with a determination that was going to get all of them on the fast track to insanity.

 

“Of course Ree,” said Teary sarcastically. “How could you ever be wrong?”

 

Vidia watched as Clarion stiffened, Ree’s eyes hardening with her resolve, and the fast flying fairy pinched her stupid dark friend.

 

“Well, I suppose I should be grateful, you exposed someone within our ranks that should also not be allowed the freedom granted to her,” Vidia gulped at the queen’s voice, those hard eyes now meeting hers and daring the fast flying fairy to contradict her.

 

“Better throw me into an everlasting sleep, because that’s the only way you’ll subdue me,” muttered Vidia.  Teary’s hold became tighter and Vidia gasped a little in pain.  Her broken bones protesting loudly to the increase in pressure.

 

“She didn’t have anything to do with this,” said Teary.  Vidia rolled her eyes.  The queen was thick, not stupid.  Vidia had been the only one able to stop Teary in the middle of one her tirades, and Teary had probably rushed to her aid when the fast flying fairy’s body had started to descend to the ground when she was no longer supported by the twigs and leaves.

 

“Don’t test my patience Teary; I can see what she means to you, that she trusts you,” said Queen Ree, lifting her fingers as if to snap her helpers into action and drag both their butts into prison.

 

“No, she didn’t have anything to do with me,” insisted Teary, her grip tightening and immediately becoming looser at Vidia’s groan of pain.

 

“She called you Teary,” said the queen with the slightest touch of annoyance entering her voice.

 

“She probably heard that stupid nickname from the dense tinker,” said Teardrop inclining her head toward Tinkerbell.  Vidia remembered that this was Teardrop holding her.  Someone who had said she cared for Vidia as much as she cared for her sister.  Did that mean that if Clarion was going to condemn them that Teardrop would fly her away?  Because the way her body was flexing and moving it seemed at least possible that Teardrop was going to try and go into hiding again, even if she was probably drained of power. 

 

“Are you telling me that you stopped for a complete stranger?” asked Clarion and Vidia pinched Teardrop, trying to make her shut up.

 

“I heard my name,” shrugged Teardrop and looked down on Vidia in irritation when the fast flying fairy started working the sharp pinches up the dark fairy’s arm.

 

“Teary, you’re not convincing anyone.  Why would you fly so fast to save someone you only met a few times before?” asked the queen and Vidia remembered that the queen knew when Teardrop was lying, this entire conversation was pointless and the fast flying fairy started to add a bit of nail to her pinches.

 

“I saved her because she’d a very powerful talent,” said Teardrop without missing a beat.

 

“She’s your sister,” said the fast flying fairy and headed to more visible skin as the more discrete places had already been used.

 

“She has nothing to do with me,” asserted Teary without looking at Vidia.  Vidia rolled her eyes and gave the dark fairy the hardest pinch yet, and glanced at the queen.  What she saw made the fast flying fairy actually freeze.  The Queen was staring at her sister like she had never truly seen Teary before. No, that wasn’t right; there was something, like a long lost memory behind those shocked eyes.  The Queen looked away, though the scene was obviously ingrained in her mind.  Vidia just stared at the Queen in confusion.  Finally the queen bit her lip before expression became blank and she looked up sharply. 

 

Teardrop brought Vidia closer to her and glared at her sister.  At length Clarion turned her back on them.

 

“If you want to ever gain my trust you will follow me to the Home Tree,” said Clarion.  She took off and the fairies left on the beach glanced at each other.  Finally the four helpers and Fairy Mary took off to follow their queen.  Teary shifted the fast flying fairy in her arms and took to the sky.  Ignoring how the fast flying fairy was trying to wiggle herself free.

 

“You’re still badly injured,” Teardrop said softly while pushing a strand of Vidia’s hair from her eyes. 

 

“That was very brave,” said Tinkerbell coming to Teardrop’s side and smiling down on the fast flying fairy.  Vidia glared at medaling tinker and then hid her face in Teardrop’s bust while the dark fairy looked down at the fast flying fairy in amusement. 

 

“No, that was stupid,” said Teardrop with a smile to the annoying tinker.  Vidia started to pinch her again. “But at least this silly thing is starting to learn that connections are also an important part of being a fairy.”

 

“All you care about is making sure that fairies stick to their talents,” said Vidia grumpily and twisted the next pinch.

 

“Stop that,” said Teardrop shifting Vidia in a way that made the fast flying fairies vision go black for a second.

 

“Stop encouraging the annoying tinker,” said Vidia between gritted teeth.

 

“I love you too Vidia,” said Tinkerbell and Teardrop had to jar Vidia against her wounds to stop the fast flying fairy from attacking the tinker with a death wish.

 

“Ah, young love,” said Teardrop cuddling a groaning Vidia.  She received two pinches for her trouble.

 

They arrived at the Home Tree with no opposition.  A few fairies could be seen following from time to time, but if they were making sure Teardrop followed Clarion, or whether they were just curious, Vidia couldn’t tell.  Vidia would have liked to see them try to stop Teardrop when the dark fairy put her mind to something.

 

Vidia sighed against her friend’s arms, finally reserved to her fate while the tinker giggled at her.  Vidia was going to have her revenge when she could move again.  Teardrop brought her over and settled the fast flying fairy on a low couch when they entered the Home Tree, a healing fairy coming and immediately starting to check her over.  Vidia struggled to get Queen Clarion back into view, the stupid healing-talent kept getting in the way.

 

“Stop squirming or I’ll tie you to this couch,” said the healing-talent and then the two fairies proceeded to try and glare each other into submission. 

 

“So, what do you have to say for yourself?” asked the queen.  Vidia looked her way and the healing-talent took it as her win and pushed Vidia into the cushions and re-bandaging her wounds with a few choice words that declared Vidia a moron of epic proportions. 

 

“Are you talking to me, dear sister?” asked Teardrop with a light sneer.  Vidia rolled her eyes; Teary really didn’t have the luxury of pushing her sister’s buttons at the moment.  Clarion had given her a chance and Teary had allowed her emotions to ruin it utterly.

 

“Dear is my insult,” shouted Vidia raising her head.  The healer pushed her back down roughly. 

 

“Sweetheart?” asked Teardrop looking around the healer and completely forgetting her sister for that moment.

 

“No, that’s Scrawl’s,” said Tinkerbell.

 

“Who’s Scrawl?” asked Vidia testily.

 

“Isn’t that the teacher talent who used to stick around to see me?” asked Teardrop, clearly amused at the idea.

 

“Yeah, and she was not the one who left you food,” said Tinkerbell sounding the tiniest bit accusatory.

 

“Well, no, but who did should be obvious by now,” said Teary with a slight chuckle. 

 

“You can cook?” asked Tinkerbell looking at Vidia in shock.

 

“Well, she has to do something in her free time,” said Teardrop. “Apparently the only friend she has spends all her time locked in the library.”

 

“What…” they looked over to see the queen staring at them in shock.  It was like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing, and on a level, Vidia didn’t blame her. “We’re here to maybe close you two from the outside… and you’re joking around?”

 

“I blame the tinker,” proclaimed Vidia and turned sharply from the queen.  As she hissed in pain the healer called her several kinds of idiot and started to move Vidia back into a more comfortable position.

 

“What made you do it Teardrop?  If you had someone, then why would you risk them in this stunt of yours?” asked the queen.  Vidia had the feeling that Clarion was reading a little too much into their relationship, but decided to let Teary deal with it.  Ree was her sister after all.

 

“Well, for one thing I never thought that Vidia would be stupid to do anything like that,” said Teardrop glancing disapprovingly at Vidia.  The fast flying fairy stuck her tongue out. “For another… well, the reason I attacked was…”

 

“I can explain it!” everyone jumped at Fawn’s voice.  She apparently shocked herself since she face planted right after she made it through the door, but the animal-talent was up on her feet in seconds and flying next to support Teary. “Vidia could too, but she’s being stubborn.”

 

“Oh, and what would this reason that has escaped both me and Teary for over a century?” asked Clarion sounding very sweet, but there was something potently scary about her question.

 

“It isn’t her fault,” said Fawn and then took a long breath. “We figured out that it seems like when she uses her power, especially when she tries to use talents that she doesn’t know she loses a little bit of control until she gets a hang of it.  She picks up talents so fast that usually no one notices, but I did.  Also, before when she described her first… breakdown, or whatever it was that was it felt like they were working through her.  That the talents were working through her instead of her using them.  We think that if she actually learns to use all of them correctly, instead of just guessing and then becoming overwhelmed, and had someone be there to personally explain it to her.  Which is interesting because she can’t just read a book on the subject and understand, she needs someone to demonstrate it to her first.  And that’s…”

 

“Breathe!” shouted Vidia; Fawn stopping talking took a few quick breaths and then one long one.  Composing herself minutely.

 

“And that’s the reason we think she is losing control because it is really the talents that are using her as an untrained outlet,” said Fawn and then smiled brightly at the end of her speech. 

 

A cricket chirped in the field.

 

“But she says that given the choice she would still kill…”

 

“Oh, stop it, it’s like you’re trying to find reasons to make yourself miserable,” snapped Vidia and glanced straight into Queen Clarion’s shocked eyes.  She then remembered who it was she was yelling at and sunk back into the couch and stared red faced at the ceiling.  Someone was giggling lightly in the background.

 

“Perhaps, you have a point,” said Clarion finally. “Fairy Mary, is there any way to see if what Fawn is true?”

 

“I’ll take Teardrop to the backroom,” said the chubby teacher fairy.  Vidia watched the other suspicious, but wasn’t really worried.  She had a feeling that Teardrop would not let herself be confined so easily as before.

 

“And what, do we do, wait?” asked Vidia irritably.

 

“Exactly,” said the queen with a piercing glare.  Tinkerbell sat in her corner, and Fawn collapsed where she was floating with a slight snore.  Vidia looked up at the ceiling and wondered.  Did the queen really put that much emphasis on this interview, or was it a stalling means?  Was queen Clarion really taking this time to rationally look at her options and decide if it was worth it to lock herself a way?  If she was, Vidia wouldn’t blame her, it was a big decision.  But she hoped the queen was selfish, because life without Teary would go back to being mundane, and Teary always seemed to be able to mix things up as much as the dark fairy just wanted everything to work out.

 

\---

 

Ree sat in her corner flanked by her helper fairies and couldn’t help but feel a sting of regret.  Was she letting this go too easily?  Even if that strange look in her sister’s eyes had always been the talents working through her, they had only been trying to work out Teardrop’s own goals.  Still, what if they had only fed on Teardrop’s more destructive ones?  Sure, Teardrop had not been impressed with the way Queen Bright had run things, but before she was locked away Clarion would say Teardrop was too much of a pushover to ever try and carryout an assignation slash rebellion.  And then this second time, Teardrop shouldn’t have been able to find the strength to try and carry out her revenge, and seemed to have lost interest the minute Vidia had yelled her name.

 

So, was it really Teardrop’s fault?  There were times in every fairies life that they just wanted someone to disappear, or disapproved of something that was being done.  If – if the queen hadn’t locked Teardrop away somewhere the dark fairy would be bombarded by the concentration of all the fairies talents, would Teardrop simply put up with the queen up to her death?  She could admit when she was pushing things.  Teardrop’s rebellion-thing and Queen Bright’s death had to be coincidence, Teardrop could make people drop into an everlasting sleep, and even if she could kill someone she’d actually have to have the person there to do it.  Queen Bright had only confronted Teary after she had been restrained, never before.

 

So that left the question of what she would do when Fairy Mary came back with answer.  Well, the easiest would be if they said it wasn’t the talents that had taken over Teary.  Of course, upon reflection, sending her sister into the darkness really wasn’t all that appealing, and Clarion knew that just like before, she’d jump at an alternative, just like before.  But could anyone really blame her?  Well, yes they could; however, Clarion was sure that in the same position they probably let their sister free or joined her rather than doing the right thing.

 

Did that mean that she wanted Fairy Mary to come back and tell her Teardrop just needed to be trained?  If she did that and let her sister be free again would the other fairies still just think she was doing it for her own sake?  But, it wasn’t just that, Teardrop had an oddly soft heart that let everyone and no one in.  It was amazing that anyone had gotten in close enough to draw that sort of reaction for her, the one that told Clarion Teardrop really did have a heart.

 

“Nicite, do you mind helping Vidia in here, I want to ask her a few questions about Teardrop,” said Fairy Mary pocking only her head out the door.  She had that look on her face that meant she was studying something particularly important or difficult, though beyond that Clarion could not tell if her sister was convincing the teacher-talent or not.

 

It had been that look in her sister’s eyes that had stopped her, and Clarion should have probably seen the warnings before that.  Ree had seen that look in her sister’s eyes only once before.  It had been so long ago, maybe a day after they had shoved Teardrop in chains into the library.  The head fairies at the time had asked Teardrop point blank if Clarion had been a part of the plan, if it was away to boost one of their pristine and then take over from the inside out.  Clarion remembered that second because they both knew that if Teardrop said Clarion had been a part of it, Ree would have been locked up alongside her sister.  Teardrop had looked over at Clarion, and what was reflected there wasn’t hate, it wasn’t the need to keep her away, it was something sadder, an acknowledgement that even if she felt Clarion had betrayed her, Ree was still precious to Teary.  Teardrop had spat at the queen’s feet, told her that Clarion had turned on her and that Clarion had never known of her plans.

 

Ree had convinced herself that it was just some sort of odd possessive thing on Teardrop’s behalf, not that she was genuinely concerned.  She had convinced herself her sister had been born without a heart.  But, now she knew that wasn’t right.  There was a good chance that Teary had been connected with Sunshine and that’s why when Queen Bright had brushed off the old fairy’s death Teardrop had been so angry.  And then the friendship her sister had created with Tinktock.  Her sister wasn’t one to instantly become friends with, perhaps with time she would have formed the same close bond.  But then tragedy had struck and Teary had been hidden away, her heart turning to stone.  And still Vidia was able to become friends with her.

 

“Tinkerbell, Fawn, I’d like to speak with you next,” said the chubby teaching-fairy, sounding oddly like a healing fairy calling in friends to see a recovering friend.

 

Clarion leaned her head back.  Did Fairy Mary have to be so thorough?  Did it really matter if she didn’t have control?  Didn’t she know her sister well enough?  No, Clarion had to consider the idea that she didn’t.  Ree had really believed that she was the only one who could get close to Teardrop, but Vidia had proven that theory wrong.

 

Would it be better for everyone if Teardrop was back among the fairies?  Sure she could be overbearing, but sometimes her very linear thinking could be helpful.  As long as she didn’t scare everyone off.  But it sounded like she had been a hit as a librarian.

 

That was it.  If Fairy Mary decided it really was her talents she’d send Teardrop to work permanently at the library.  She’d of course be allowed to go out and learn the respective talents.  But while welcoming in new talents made sense and connected her with allot of the talents, the job of librarian would allow her to meet lesser talents at a more individual level and get to know their personality by the books rather than a first impression.  Plus, it had the benefits of reminding Teardrop of exactly where she was coming from and hopefully keeping her on a shorter leash.

 

“Milady?” Clarion looked over to see Fairy Mary coming out of the room the other three carefully following behind.  Teardrop seemed to be trying to hide behind the four, which meant that she was probably squatting behind the others.

 

“Yes, and what is your verdict?” asked Queen Clarion, her heart begging Fairy Mary to tell her that her sister had been controlled.  Even if it meant the other was lying, she could easily control her sister.   She had people she loved, and Teardrop would never want her sister to truly suffer.  She knew that.

 

“It seems that she really was being controlled, everything that they said fits together,” said Fairy Mary.

 

“And is Teardrop willing to take the time to learn all the talents?” asked Clarion, still trying to sound detached and regal.  The fairies parted and Teardrop stood to her full height before looking Clarion in the eyes.

 

“Of course, would there really be any doubt of that?” Teardrop’s smile was so soft and her tone so sincere that felt everything leave, only leaving her sister standing there with that soft look that confirmed all of Ree’s fears.

 

“Then,” she said holding back a choked sob, her sister could do, she could be saved.  Vidia was good leverage, but could only be used last minute seeing as her sister really wouldn’t take well to threats, especially made against her precious people, she had already tried that. “You’ll learn control.  You’ll spend half a day learning the various talents, but will retain your job as librarian.”

 

“I suppose she’ll only be allowed to leave guarded until you decide she’s safe,” said Vidia as she was hobbled over to the couch again.

 

“No,” everyone looked shocked at this. “If she feels that the library should only be opened until there are more completely files she may do research and close it down.  It after the library closes she wants to have dinner with a friend that’s also fine.  You all can stop looking like I’ve lost my mind.  I may not have known about the talents but neither did Teary.  I do know how my sister makes friends, and even if Vidia saved her it would have taken much longer than that for Teardrop to lie for her.”

 

By this time Teardrop looked embarrassed and a little mortified.

 

“Well, I needed someone to tell about the things going wrong in Pixie Hollow.  Not that I blame you for not noticing sister.  It’s just I had more time on my hands to notice.  So I picked a broody, not gossipy, social outcaste to save Pixie Hollow,” said Teardrop with a sheepish grin.

 

“You were half insane and starving when I met you!” shouted Vidia from her position on the couch.  Ree cringe.

 

“Well, apparently in that kind of state I can really nail the personality of a person,” said Teary, hands on hips and expression teasing.

 

“She can’t see you,” said the queen with a roll of her eyes at her sister.

 

“But you all can,” said Teardrop with an exaggerated bow.  She looked up at Ree with hope in her eyes. “Do you really mean it?”

 

“Yes,” said Clarion with a soft smile, her entire stance softening. “I really mean it.”

 

Teardrop walked forward and buried her head in her sister’s shoulder, and because it was part of her name, big wet drops started to fall on the queen’s shoulder as Teardrop tried to disappear into her sister’s neck.  Clarion sighed in exasperation and held her sister closer; if the twin was truth Ree would admit that she’d missed this.  Teary really wasn’t acting like herself unless she was either being critical of others or if there was just the tiniest bit of depression in her expression.

 

“I missed you Ree,” said Teardrop into Ree’s shoulder.

 

“Just promise me one thing Teary,” said Clarion.

 

“Anything,” said Teary without hesitation.  Clarion saw pictures of Teary going from strict to tears, tears to hyper happiness, insanity to caring friend, angry to playfulness… and got a killer headache for her troubles.

 

“Stop being such a duality,” Teardrop laughed wetly and the sisters fell into hopeless giggles with other fairies joining in after a spell.


	15. It's a Talent to be a Librarian

Teardrop was pretty sure she’d never been happier.  Of course she now had been given healer-talent potion that relieved her of stress, anxiety, depression, headaches, and had a strict diet that Ginger followed to the letter, all of which had been prescribed by the healing-talents because she apparently was low on some nutrients, or something like that.  Still, she’d never felt so liked, there was something intoxicating about people coming up to her and acting like old friends and just having fun.

 

Of course any friends that Vidia might have gotten were quickly scared away by the fast flying fairy’s bark and bite.  There had been a week Vidia had refused to talk to the librarian since Vidia felt Teary was being too indulgent to the annoying fairies.  Teardrop had babied her than, making sure to take over all the most embarrassing jobs until the fast flying fairy caved.  It had been fun.

 

Then there was the fact that Vidia did now have friends, sort of.  Tinkerbell’s group had made it their mission to take care of Vidia.  Teardrop helped of course, mostly trying to stop any blood from spilling under the fast flying fairy’s temper.  The odd teaching-fairy had shown up.  Scrawl said that jaded fairies like them should stick together and form a group with Teardrop as the ambassador as she could ‘speak their language.’ Vidia had attempted to bite the teaching fairy and Teardrop hadn’t been the one who had stopped the girl.

 

“Hello and how is my favorite fast flying fairy?” asked Teardrop as she caught said fairy before she could fly out her own window.  Teardrop still refused to use the front door.

 

“Let me go, I can walk, my wings are fine, I’m going insane,” said Vidia struggling to get out of the dark fairies hold as Teardrop gracefully ducked into the room.

 

“I caught her,” said Teardrop loudly, holding Vidia up for all to see.

 

“You know what the healer said Vidia, no fast flying until next week, now come on, Tinkerbell made you a soup,” said Rosetta with a particularly cruel smile.

 

“She can’t cook worth nothing,” said Vidia in fear.

 

“Sh, don’t hurt her feelings,” said Rosetta, not losing her evil smile.  Teary decided she’d come to Vidia’s rescue this one time.

 

“Well, that’s too bad because Ginger made her famous chowder for everyone,” said Teary with a false sigh.

 

“Forget my soup!” said Tinkerbell excitedly and grabbed the basket out of Teardrop’s hand.  From there it was immediately put in a pan on the stove to warm.

 

“I hate you,” said Vidia glaring at Teardrop as the helpful fairies made sure she was sitting in a way that didn’t jar any of her injuries.

 

“You should be grateful,” said Teardrop sitting gracefully at her table and smirking at Vidia. “If you had been human if would have taken months before you were moving around like this again, and you never would have ever flown either.”

 

“Shut up Teary,” snapped Vidia and Teary rolled her eyes.  Apparently this was a bad day.

 

“Well, someone’s in a good mood,” said Scrawl letting herself in Vidia’s home.

 

“Get the pirates cove out of my house!” shouted Vidia.

 

“Someone’s grumpy,” Scrawl amended getting her own seat and sliding up to the table.

 

“I thought you couldn’t make it,” said Silvermist starting to set the table.

 

“I couldn’t,” said Scrawl with a shawl, not even trying to help as Teary got up and grabbed some silverware from the drawer. “And then I heard that you were having Ginger’s chowder and zipped on over.”

 

“Dear, what you are, is a mooch,” said Vidia, and glared at Tinkerbell’s giggle.

 

“And you’re a Prima Dona,” said Scrawl. “Now buck up and let the annoying cheerleading squad baby you.”

 

“I’d rather they leave,” snapped Vidia.

 

“Even us?” asked Teardrop.

 

“Especially you two, and take your soup with you,” said Vidia viscously and glared as she was ignored.

 

“Hey,” said Scrawl as the girls all went and sat down and she had no soup.

 

“Go away Scrawl and go do whatever you were going to do yesterday, it’s not like you actually care if Vidia gets better or not,” said Rosetta primly.  Taking away Teardrop’s wine and replacing it with her fruit water.  Teary was wishing at that moment that they weren’t so attentive.  While the help with Vidia did mean she could learn the talents and run the library without having to constantly worry about the silly fast flying fairy.  It also meant that that there was constantly someone around to make sure that Teardrop struck to her diet.  It become almost impossible to sneak any sweets, nectar, or wine since her release. 

 

“Give it back…” muttered Teardrop sipping at the water.

 

“That sort thing is bad for you,” said Tinkerbell, confiscating it from Rosetta and making as if to dump it down the drain.

 

“Don’t waste it, at least let the annoying garden fairy drink it,” whined Teardrop.

 

“Hey,” said Rosetta with an irritated glance at the dark fairy.

 

“The monster is right, no use letting go to waste,” said Scrawl stealing the wine and downing it before she even got back to her seat.

 

“Stop calling her a monster or I’ll really throw you out,” threatened Vidia with her spoon.

 

“Yeah, yeah princess, whatever, but you still owe me for not telling the queen that she was getting out of her prison to visit you,” said Scrawl with a smirk.

 

“I owe you nothing,” snapped Vidia and took a determined bite of her chowder.

 

“Good thing that was soup,” said Teardrop being delicate with her soup. “The last time you did that with a piece of cucumber you almost choked to death.”

 

“Shut up,” said Vidia and then ignored her for another overly dramatic bite of soup, which she swallowed down the wrong pipe and started choking.

 

“And that’s just sort of sad,” said Teardrop with a shake of her head and leaned over to give Vidia a few healthy whacks on the back. “Stop trying to grandstand.  Scrawl and I think it’s funny and the cheerleading squad doesn’t really care.”

 

“Stop calling us the cheerleading squad,” said Rosetta.  Teardrop started to wonder if there was something in the water that made fairies think spoons were weapons.

 

“Do you even know what a cheerleading squad is?” asked Scrawl.

 

“I know it’s an insult from how you use it,” snapped Rosetta with a glare.

 

“It depends on who you are,” said Teardrop finishing up her soup with a sad sigh. “I don’t think you’ll like what they are Rosetta, but someone like Silvermist or Fawn probably won’t mind that much.”

 

“Silvermist doesn’t mind much of anything,” said Scrawl and Silvermist rolled her eyes in good humor. “And the animal-talent is a bit too much of a tom-boy to want to join a squad.”

 

“Doesn’t mean she would mind,” said Teardrop.

 

“What is a cheerleader?” asked Tinkerbell, taking apart her burnt biscuit.  She was the only one who had taken one.  Probably because she felt some responsibility to the charred trash she had created.  Vidia personally felt that the tinker should never be allowed to cook, ever.

 

“Where is Fawn?  I thought that she’d be here by now,” said Silvermist with a touch of concern in her eyes.

 

“Here I am, sorry for being late,” said Fawn, banging the door open as she entered Vidia’s house.  The fast flying fairy glared for all she was worth at the annoyance.

 

“Wow, she has good timing,” said Scrawl sounding impressed. “We were just talking about you sweetheart.”

 

“Really?” asked Fawn going over to the pot and ladled some chowder in a bowl put to the side.

 

“Yeah, and the two rays of sunshine were helping Vidia learn new curses to use against us,” said Rosetta lazily flipping her spoon.

 

“Oh, like what?” asked Fawn actually sitting in Teardrop’s lap.  The dark fairy shook her head but allowed it.  She draped her arms around the fairies waist and her chin on one shoulder.  It was nice to be the object of the animal-talent’s strange affections.  She was sure that the animal-talent was still closer to Iridesa probably even Rosetta, but she clung to Teardrop like a lifeline, looking to the dark fairy for advice and protection.  Teardrop felt like a mother and really didn’t mind all that much.

 

“Calling us cheerleaders,” said Iridessa taking a good dip into the soup with a healthy piece of potato on the spoon. “How does Ginger do it?”

 

“That’s old,” said Fawn sounding disappointed.  Teardrop rolled her eyes behind her eyelids.  She really hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before.  Ree had wanted to spend some quality sister time together.  Something that always was a mix of joy and calm, and constant tension that wasn’t going to disappear any time soon.  Ree at the moment was still unsure of Teardrop’s innocence, and also felt guilty for locking her away when the answer to their problems should have been obvious.  Teardrop still was a little bitter about being locked away and was also trying to make sure she did nothing to make her sister lock her away in the ground.

 

“Yeah, but before you came and put a stop to it the conversation was rapidly moving in that direction,” said Rosetta and sighed dramatically.

 

“I could still come up with a special one just for you,” said Vidia and turned to Teardrop, frowning at the scene of her being comfortable with one of the ‘enemies.’ “You got anything new from your books I can squeeze into the loud-mouth garden-talents new nickname?”

 

“No, but if Iris doesn’t start doing her job and actually leave my library once in a while I’m going to rake her across the coals and then hang her out to dry,” said Teardrop glaring at the table.  Silvermist started to clear the table.

 

“That metaphor makes no sense,” said Iridessa.

 

“Don’t take it so literally,” said Teardrop.

 

“What made you say it?” asked Fawn turning to try and look the dark fairy.  Seeing as their faces were lined up that was next to impossible.  Teardrop rolled her eyes.  Some people just didn’t understand when the subject needed to be changed.

 

“I found her around three still in the library working with a patch of light she’d gotten from one of her friends,” Teardrop glared at Iridessa who had the decently to look ashamed.

 

“I didn’t think she’d stay that late,” said Iridessa meekly.

 

“When I turn off the lights it means everyone should already be gone,” said Teardrop, wondering how intimidated she looked with Fawn as her fairy sized teddy bear.

 

“But she said she was reading something important about her garden,” said Iridessa, folding her hands and smiling anxiously.

 

“She’s been reading something important about her garden since Tinkerbell told everyone there were books of all talents in my library.  The only thing that’ll do good for her now is to actually tend to her garden,” said Teardrop with an annoyed frown.

 

“You don’t think she’s bad or something, for Pixie Hollow?” asked Fawn haltingly.

 

“What? No, she’s just a nuisance,” said Teardrop looking at the other in confusion.  Everyone let an almost collective sigh.  Teardrop closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep on Fawn’s shoulder.

 

“That reminds me,” said Fawn, bouncing a little and gaining an annoyed scowl at her neck from Teardrop. “They’re expecting another fairy soon, so keep your eyes open Vidia.”

 

“I’m not allowed out of my house,” sneered Vidia.

 

“We’ll take you out for a fly later and let you stretch your wings,” said Teardrop not opening eyes.  She could feel the glare that Vidia was sending her and would rather not burn her eyes because of its intensity.

 

“Hey, how about next time we meet at my house,” said Rosetta. “There’s enough room there to invite everyone to dinner, we might even get Dulcie to cook for us.”

 

“Great, now I’ll get some peace and quiet,” said Vidia, Teardrop thought that was a rather naïve of her.

 

“We’ll be dragging you along,” said Rossetta.

 

“You’ll be doing nothing of the sort,” growled Vidia.

 

“I won’t help you,” said Teardrop when Fawn turned toward her slightly.

 

“Fine, then we’ll just have to have it here,” rationalized Tinkerbell. “We’ll invite Bobble, Clank, and Terrance.”

 

“Rani,” and the list started getting longer and longer and Teardrop waited patiently for Vidi ato blowup at the scheming fairies.

 

“No, how in the world would you even get all those people in here?” demanded Vidia until her voice squeaked oddly.  Teardrop opened one eye her way and was given a firm pout for her troubles.

 

“Well, we could do it right outside,” said Silvermist.

 

“I’m not coming out,” said Vidia stubbornly.  This time Teardrop opened both eyes and look bemusedly at the fast flying fairy.  It was almost as if the contrary fairy wanted proof that the cheerleading squad would make sure to include her.  Teardrop mouthed ‘fishing’ at the fast flying fairy.  A fork picked up a piece of pie which soared through the air to hit the librarian right between the eyes.  Teardrop blinked in surprise and saw a small sliver of pie next to Fawn’s half eaten one.  Fawn bit into it with Teardrop’s fork and offered it to the dark fairy whose lap she was sitting on.

 

“Fine, put we should at least invite some of the sparrow men,” said Rosetta and then smirked at Vidia. “You have to agree, Terrance is a fine bit of eye candy.”

 

“I have all the eye candy I need right here,” said Vidia with a smirk of her own.  Teardrop tried to bite at the fork held just out of her reach.

 

“What’s eye candy?” asked Tinkerbell interrupting the silence. “And why would Vidia want to eat Terrance?”

 

“Stop talking,” said Scrawl hitting her head against her palms, and then looked at Tinkerbell with an odd sort of pain in her eyes. “You know, sometimes your naiveté can be plan annoying.”

 

“But how can someone be candy?” asked Tinkerbell. “Why would a fairy want to eat a sparrow man?”

 

“Not eat fairies you stupid twit,” scolded Vidia with an extravagant roll of her eyes. “It means that you enjoy looking at a certain gender of fairies.  You like the way their face looks, or their curves.  It’s an attraction formed merely on the surface level.”

 

“But, wouldn’t you want that fairy to have a good personality?” asked Tinkerbell, everyone at the table flinched at that.

 

“I’m not going to marry eye candy,” said Vidia in exasperation. “That would be moronic.”

 

“Then what’s it good for?” asked Tinkerbell, apparently forgetting that eye candy was indeed another fairy and not just a good-looking fairy.

 

“Admiring.  Eye candy is the perfect specimens of fairy physique,” said Scrawl.

 

“What makes a person eye candy?” asked Tinkerbell.  Teardrop glared at Vidia.  Who apparently took that as an invitation to fill the tinker in on what eye candy meant.  Teardrop sighed.  This was a really annoying conversation. 

 

“They have to look good,” said Vidia slowly and then rolled her eyes as Tinkerbell continued to look confused. “Listen, people who like sparrow men would consider someone like Terrance a ten on the good-lookin’ factor while Clank would at most be a two.  On the other hand people who like fairies would think you as a ten and Fair Mary closer to a two.”

 

“You know, some people might like the way Fairy Mary looks,” said Iridessa and then ducked under Vidia’s haughty glare.

 

“Those people need their eyes checked,” said Vidia and Teardrop mouthed shallow at her.  Vidia ignored her, apparently deciding that the other fairy wasn’t worth it.

 

“So, I’m eye candy?” Vidia blushed and everyone looked at the fast flying fairy in shook.  Rosetta coughed, not really trying to cover the fact she was really laughing. 

 

“Actually,” said Vidia actually taking time to analyze what she’d said.  Iridessa choked on her food a little… which was hard seeing as she didn’t have any pie left. “You have the makings of one down to a letter.  Not only are you cute as a button, you’re also just as shallow, air-headed, and stupid as their supposed to be.”

 

“Watch who you call shallow,” laughed Scrawl underneath the cries of outrage from everyone else.  Teardrop shared a smile with the teaching fairy. 

 

“In any event,” said Teardrop, and miraculously enough everyone just stopped talking. “How would we even get Rani here?  Isn’t she finned or something?”

 

“Finned?  What does that even mean?” demanded Rosetta.

 

“No, no, she doesn’t have wings anymore, but she still has legs,” said Silvermist and smiled lazily.

 

“What use is she then?” asked Teardrop making Silvermist quickly lose that smile.

 

“She’s a water-talent, and gave up her wings in order to save Mother Dove,” growled Rosetta. “She’s the only fairy in Pixie Hollow who can swim.”

 

“Oh, well in that case I think all water fairies should give up their wings,” said Teardrop with a nod of her head.

 

“Teary!” they all shouted at the dark fairy.  Who just closed her eyes and rested her chin on Fawn’s shoulder.  The conversation easily slipped into nonsense.  The afternoon spent in easy friendship, Scrawl disappearing around the same time Rosetta said her goodbyes.  Teardrop hung onto fawn the whole time.  The other was scared, and though the other didn’t know why she kept her hold.

 

And when they took Vidia out to fly she made sure to make it as hard on the fast flying fairy as she could… without harming the silly flitter at any rate.

 

\--

 

Teardrop stood at the edge of the circle looking out on the gathered groups of fairy talents, all their attention focused on one small fairy clothed in a green leaf.  The little girl looked jittery, ringing her hands and looking at everyone around her with fast but blurry eyes.  She’d need glasses that one.

 

Whispers of her sister’s name broke out and Teardrop let her wings carry her to the Winter Minister’s side.  Knowing that she was expected to float among the ‘big’ fairies and not stand like a human on the ground.  Ree made a flashy entrance and the dark fairy immediately had to clutch hard to the book she’d confiscated from Iris so as not to burst out in giggles.

 

“Born of laughter, clothed in cheer, happiness has brought you here.  Welcome to Pixie Hollow.  I trust you found your way alright (1),” said Ree serenely, only to shake with suppressed laughter that probably only Teardrop could actually see.

 

“She still uses that?” asked Teardrop.

 

“Of course, she never forgot you,” said the helper and smiled kindly.

 

“That would be kinda hard,” said Teardrop in confusion.  A hand found its way to her heart.

 

“Then she never really stopped loving you,” said the minister and then returned to watch the proceedings.  Teardrop looked on without seeing.  It wasn’t that she had disliked her job welcoming in new fairies.  It was just that she had never appreciated gaining even that much attachment to some that wasn’t her sister.  Let Ree do the whole bonding thing.  Teardrop was happy with her small group of friends no matter how much they fought and often didn’t get along.

 

Ree was perfect though.  She was someone with morals of a Goddess, and a good head to run Pixie Hollow.  The only thing was she was stubborn, and from experience Teardrop knew that attribute could be both a blessing and a curse, depending on what the crisis was. Still, she had Teardrop, and over time Ree would trust her sister enough to listen when Teardrop told her she was being stubborn.

 

It hadn’t been exactly fun last month.  She zipped from talent to talent learning as much as she could of the basics in a week or less before going to the next talent and learning from them.  The fast pace was to make sure that the talents wouldn’t overtake her on principal, somehow manifest itself overnight and then work through her body to take over Pixie Hollow.  Her sister was being paranoid.  Teardrop would have pointed out that she hadn’t gone berserk in her library until Ree threatened her, but Ree got that look in her eyes and Teardrop knew it’d be pointless.

 

At least she’d learned allot about how the various talents saw her.  It actually was divided oddly by season.  Winter season seemed to be the most cautious of her, spring the most accepting, and fall the most hostile.  Teardrop obviously had no way of knowing what summer thought of her… yet. Also the amount of people who had passed on was extraordinary, especially because Ree and two of her helpers were some of the only fairies alive she’d ever been semi close to.  Not that there weren’t people like Rosetta who remembered the time, just none she had known, maybe had talked to only in passing.

 

“Oh my,” said one of the fairies catching Teardrop’s attention.  She looked down on the scene.  The new fairy looked like she was about to fall into tears and Teardrop saw a second later why.  All the talents had fallen, and none had been hers.  There were no talents at the moment without a means to identify themselves.  Teardrop had heard of that happening from time to time, some of the more famous ones being metal and adventure-talents, where instead of being proclaimed had to be sought out in some fashion by the first fairy of its kind.  That must mean she was someone new to her talent.

 

The poor thing, she didn’t look up to going on the trek alone to find out what her new talent was.  She didn’t look like the sort strong enough to figure out on her own what having that talent meant. 

 

“Oh dear, what if she doesn’t have a talent?” said the minister, mostly to herself and then looked in horror at Teardrop.  The dark fairy just shrugged.

 

“Not possible,” said Teardrop.

 

“But…”

 

“It isn’t possible,” asserted Teardrop.  Why would they try to convince her otherwise?  It would be better to just laugh it off and lie.  Though, Teardrop wasn’t worried, there wasn’t such thing as a fairy without a talent.

 

“Teary!” said Ree, Teardrop looked up quickly and noticed green eyes staring intensely at her.  Wondering what was wrong she flew down to her sister’s side.

 

“She seems taken with you,” said Ree and Teardrop nodded.  Until she noticed that the fairy wasn’t really looking at her.

 

“No, it’s not me,” said Teardrop and ignored her sister’s confused gaze.  She walked close to the young fairy and held out the gardening book to the small thing.  Small cream hands reached up and took it, and the book glowed brightly in the small fairies hands.

 

“Well, it seems that we have found your talent,” said Ree sending Teary a proud smile.  Teary smiled proudly back, unable to contain her joy at the smile she had been gifted with. “From this day forth you will be known Bookwish.”

 

And with that Ree turned into a ball of light and flew away.  Teardrop snorted at the theatrics.  She still remembered the day that her sister had been stuck as a ball of light.  That had been entertaining.

 

Something shifted to her side and Teary smiled.  She had a subordinate!

 

“Bookwish huh?” said Teardrop and turned on the fairy with a critical eye.  Bookwish shrunk a little.

 

“Well then fairy, do you think you have what it takes to be a librarian?” said Teardrop in her most commanding tone, and to Teardrop’s great surprise the little thing started crying.

 

“What did I do?” she asked and then grabbed the fairies chin and made the new librarian look at her. “Sh, it’s alright, I’m sure you’ll make a great librarian.  Why are you still crying?  I said I’m sorry, you’re my first worker, you can’t – cry.”

 

And Teardrop took that as a cue to start crying herself.

 

She ‘came to’ a little while later with Vidia awkwardly patting her back and not looking at her embarrassing friend.  Teardrop looked up to see the cheerleading squad comforting her new charge and Bookwish looking at Teary with still a little fear but also wonder.

 

“See, she’s just as nervous as you are, she’s just learned to be mean when nervous instead of immediately falling to tears, that’s just something that closely follows her losing control,” said Rosetta with a straight face.

 

“Rosetta,” growled Teardrop, but looked back at Bookwish who had immediately recoiled back into Tinkerbell’s grasp at Teardrop’s harsh voice. 

 

She forced a smile.

 

“I’m sorry, really, you seem like a bright fairy and I’m sure you’ll take to the library like a fish to water,” encouraged Teardrop and the young fairy almost cracked a smile.  Vidia sighed in exasperation.

 

“Whatever, I’ll take Teardrop back to the library, you guys show the new girl around,” said Vidia making shooing motions at the group. Bookwish eyed the fast flying fairy, and hid deeper in the group.

 

“Well, that proves she’s got a good head on her shoulder,” said Teardrop giving Bookwhish an encouraging smile.  To be fair to the poor thing she didn’t have a clue what was going on.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Vidia.

 

“She was instantly suspicious of you,” said Teardrop proudly and smiled at Bookwish. “Shows she’s a good judge of character.”

 

Vidia looked more disappointed than usual at that.  But rolled her eyes, hitched a hand under Teardrop’s armpit and started dragging her away.

 

“Come on you dead weight, you’re breaking your promise to your sister acting like this,” said Vidia dragging hard on her friend. “You guys bring the thing around when you think she’ll be safe.”

 

“Don’t let Vidia overdo it!” shouted Iridessa. “Not after we put so much work into her!”

 

“Will do,” said Teardrop, this time flying by herself.  

 

“Ah, so, done crying?” asked Vidia as they flew into the library.  Teardrop smiled and flew to land in her hammock.

 

“I was over the minute I stopped,” she said and then squirmed while she tried to find a comfortable position. 

 

“Of course you cried with a new born fairy, which puts you down to level of pathetic,” sneered Vidia, Teardrop turned to her in confusion.

 

“I thought I reached that three or so years ago,” said Teardrop.  Vidia threw up her hands at the impossible fairy and went to sulk in the cupboards.  Teardrop liked annoying the fairy; it wasn’t like it was hard, most of the time she only had to act like herself.  But, at other times she wished that the fast flying fairy was just a smidge kinder.  Not that Teardrop blamed Vidia for the way she turned.  She was sure that Vidia had learned half of her bitterness from being such a powerful fast flying fairy.  That was one thing that hadn’t changed much in one hundred years.  Each generation was taught by the one before it to be harsh and snobbish.

 

So Vidia’s talent-kin tended to fly around like they owned the place and were the only talent-kin known to turn out the ‘bad’ fairies.  It meant that when one showed up with more power she was thought to be the worse.  Someone who would have had to be born with an energetic and forward personality to be seen as anything different.  And since Vidia had definitely been born with just a touch of snobbery and destined to be at least slightly anti-social, well, the outcome was a self-obsessed, fast flying obsessed, hard to get along with, pessimistic fairy.

 

Though, that didn’t mean she wasn’t a good friend.  Vidia had risked her life and reputation for after all.  Well, Teardrop was pretty sure that was the fairies reason for doing it.

 

“Hey, you’re not going out with that annoying animal talent are you?” asked Vidia, an actual hint of – something unsure in her question.  Teary snorted at the thought.

 

“No, why?”

 

“Well, she’s just way too young for you,” said Vidia, the last part of her sentence a little rushed.

 

“Careful there, someone might think you’re jealous,” said Teary lifting off her shoulders to see Vidia shove the wine back in its hiding place, well, at least it would be easy to find now. “Ah that’s right; you only have eyes for the interfering tinker.”

 

“Shut up or I’ll tell Ginger you know where the wine is,” threatened Vidia and Teardrop pretended to take her seriously and pouted. 

 

“This is ridiculous, I mean, I’ve known you,” said Vidia and hit her hand against the wall.  Teardrop flung herself off the hammock and came to stand next to her friend.

 

“What do you mean?” she asked the fast flying fairy softly.

 

“Now that you’re learning the talents,” said Vidia and turned around, giving her friend a once over. “It just means that next a fairy who is a danger to Pixie Hollow you’ll get rid in a way that can’t be traced back to you.”

 

Teardrop smirked; trust Vidia not to beat about the bush. 

 

“You think Ree doesn’t know that?” asked Teary.

 

Vidia snorted and shook her head.

 

The library doors choose that moment to bang open.

 

“Hail the conquering heroes!” shouted Rosetta.

 

“Whispers please,” said Teardrop floating down. “That was fast, has Bookwish seen everything?”

 

“Well, nearly,” said Iridessa nervously. “We kinda came back here when she freaked out after being chased by a hawk.”

 

“I think I would have freaked out if that happened on my first day too,” said Teary and then smiled at Bookwish. “Still, more time to get her settled in.  Get her own hammock and everything.”

 

Bookwish ran forward and shakily hugged Teary.  The dark fairy looked down in confusion at the dark head.  Who had told the little one this was a good idea?  Looking up she noticed that Tinkerbell was looking very self-satisfied and with a sigh returned the hug.

 

“Well, I’ll take that as my cue to leave,” said Vidia with a strained smile. “See you later Teary.”

 

Teardrop thought that speed the fast flying fairy left with was very impressive for someone confined to her house for such a long time.

 

“Oh no,” said Rosetta, wings already buzzing. “She is not ruining all our hard work.”

 

“Wait for me!” called Iridessa.  With that they were gone, except Silvermist who took her time to calm herself and start leaving at a slow pace.

 

“Taking your time?” asked Teardrop teasingly.

 

“She doesn’t have that much stamina yet,” shrugged Silvermist. “At the pace she was going she’d be lucky to get to a safe outcrop on the Home Tree.”

 

Teardrop smirked and nodded in agreement.  Silvermist smiled kindly and left.

 

“Well then,” said Teary pushing Bookwish back to look her in the eyes. “What should we do first?  You’re too shy to start yelling at books, and to skittish to go down in the archives.  So then, how about I just show you where everything is, and then we’ll have Ginger cook us some breakfast?”

 

Bookwish smiled shyly and Teardrop repeated the action.  She guided the fairy toward the first shelf and started telling her new charge facts.  Perhaps the dark fairy really could find happiness.  Perhaps she’d never have to worry about ‘taking care of someone’ ever again. But only time would tell.


End file.
